Traffic, timeframe concerns decide Bennington Way bid

CLOVERDALE — Making a decision planned for its regular March meeting, the Cloverdale Town Council chose a construction firm for repairs to Bennington Way at a special meeting Tuesday evening.

After opening two bids at its regular February meeting, the council tapped Feutz Contractors of Paris, Ill., for $1,158,740.60, pending final review by Town Attorney Richard Shagley. The other bid was from DC Construction for $853,937.38.

Eric Smith of HWC Engineering noted before the approval that Feutz did not submit an employee drug testing plan as requested. Meanwhile, DC did submit all the necessary documents. However, traffic control was the overarching concern as to safety for workers and motorists.

Shagley specifically referenced both firms’ traffic control costs, with DC’s at $9,200 and Feutz’s at $166,000. DC has estimated the repairs to take four weeks, while HWC has estimated 200 days. This, he provided, is as a flagger may not be secured for DC’s window.

“That is a heavily traveled road going both ways,” Shagley said. “To do that, what you need to protect not only the men and women working the job, but the people driving, you would need at least two flaggers.”

Shagley characterized Bennington Way as Cloverdale’s “front door” for motorists getting off Interstate 70. Not having adequate traffic control, he said, would be a “recipe for disaster” and incur complaints to the town. Smith stipulated that contractors are required by HWC to have liability insurance.

Feutz’s traffic control cost was higher including flagging at night as well as on weekends. Smith said in turn that DC was to only meet requirements which were set by HWC. Specific requirements for access to the Cloverdale McDonald’s were also included.

Ultimately, both the town and HWC could enforce what is deemed necessary.

Smith said DC would be given a notice to proceed around May 1 after the project is approved by the state, while a schedule would have to be completed by November. Council Vice President Brice Howell noted that this window is the busiest time the road is used with events at C Bar C Expo Center.

“I don’t see how it can be done that quick,” Smith said as to DC’s four-week estimate. He stated in turn that he did not know how many workers it would staff for the project.

Smith provided that the initial engineering estimate for Bennington Way came in at approximately $1.2 million. The town has been awarded $968,410.50 in funding through Community Crossings. This would be a 75/25-percent local match.

“If you chose to award the higher (bid), that does affect how much money they have to put in the project,” Smith cautioned, as the state could request documentation as to the council’s reasoning.

To a question by Councilman Greg Jay before the council’s vote, Smith said HWC has worked more with Feutz due to its location to one of its offices. As such, he suggested that quality work would be expected.

In other business:

• The council approved a request from Town Manager Jason Hartman to hire a new utility employee. Hartman said the employee they will replace found another job with greater pay, with their last day being Friday.

With Councilman Scott Stierwalt absent, Councilman Larry Fidler and Clerk-Treasurer Kelly Maners were also present at the meeting.