Bids come in for SR76 work - Hazard Construction low bid for some items

Hazard Construction is the apparent low bidder for work on State Route 76 east of Interstate 15 which will include repaving, shoulder and centerline rumble strips, and improved striping.

The California Department of Transportation opened bids May 15. The Hazard Construction bid of $4,294,738 was the lowest of the three companies which responded to the bid package which was advertised April 1.

Caltrans had estimated a $5.3 million cost for the project, including administration as well as the contract work itself. The construction portion of the project covers 10.8 miles of Highway 76 from Pala Mission Road to 2 miles west of Red Gate Road, although work tasks will begin 1 1/2 miles west of Pala Mission Road and end 1 1/2 miles east of the eastern boundary of the construction area.

The repaving work will involve the grinding of the existing pavement, recycling that pavement by mixing it with new material, and putting pavement back down. After that pavement cures a pavement coating layer will be added. The repaving portion of the project is intended to prevent further deterioration of the existing pavement while also providing a smoother road surface with additional traction.

The work on the road will also allow for some realignment of the pavement. Additionally, the curves near the intersection with Valley Center Road will have a high-friction surface treatment which will improve skid resistance.

The specifications call for 570 centerline rumble strips and 254 shoulder rumble strips. The striping will include high-visibility crosswalks at intersections with wider lines and striping which will be more reflective at night, improving those crosswalks to current standards. The striping for the shoulders will also be thicker and more visible during fog, allowing that part of the road to meet current standards. The specifications include 4,460 retroreflective pavement markers.

Due to the type of project, the work must be performed during the day. During the construction periods one lane will be closed, forcing traffic in both directions to use the remaining one lane. One-way traffic control will be in place during that time, and the bid package scope of work includes four portable signs with changeable messages which will notify motorists of the situation.

A review of the bids and finalizing the contract award process will precede construction, which is expected to begin in early September. Weather will determine the time to complete the work which is expected to last between 10 and 12 weeks. The project will be funded through Caltrans regular maintenance allocations.