Town awards bids for Ute Road, roundabout

MEEKER I The town awarded the bid for the Ute Road project, the roundabout at the junction of Ute Road and Sulphur Creek Road and construction of sidewalks on said project to Rifle contractor Martinez Western Constructors of Rifle. Martinez Western was the low bidder out of five bids submitted, which ranged from $854,682 to $1.9 million. The town budgeted $1.6 million for the project.
“We’re not home free on this, because there will be more expenses, but you will be able to come in under budget,” said Town Administrator Sharon Day.
No local contractors submitted bids. Day surmised the requirement in the bid specs for experience with roundabout construction limited local bidders.
“We just don’t have local people with the experience to build roundabouts,” Day said.
“This company has done the roundabouts within a 100-mile radius of here … Rifle, Silt, Glenwood,” said Russell Overton, superintendent of public works.
David Meece questioned the 20 percent different in bid amounts. Overton explained the cost difference is probably related to mobilization expenses — the price to move heavy equipment, hire subcontractors, house employees, etc.
The town also awarded a bid for the Sanderson Hills paving project to low bidder Grand River Construction out of Glenwood Springs. Grand River is a subcontractor for Martinez Western. The bid amoung was $326,852. The town had budgeted $500,000 to pave Shults Drive, Sanderson Drive, Mark Circle, Jill Circle, Laurie Circle and Larry Lane.
Because the bid amount leaves room in the budget, the town will consider including Lance Circle, Julie Circle and Wall Street in the project.
Finally, the town awarded a bid for repainting the water tanks at the top of Seventh Street and above Sage Hills to SAS from Louisiana, a company which “does tank painting and coating all over the United States.”