Bid opening for road resurfacing extended

The bid opening – and thus the bid submission deadline – for the contract to resurface roads and culverts maintained by the County of San Diego was extended from November 22 to November 30.

“If we get a lot of questions from the potential bidders we can extend the bid time so we can get the answers so we can get accurate bids in,” said Bill Polick, the public information officer for the county’s Department of Public Works.

In the past the contracts have been split into two geographical divisions, but now a single contract for the asphalt concrete resurfacing is awarded. “We figured that it was more cost-effective to do it countywide so we can get one contractor out there,” Polick said.

Not only does that reduce administrative work, but it allows the contractor to purchase supplies in greater bulk. “They can get better prices on their asphalt, so consequently we can get better prices on the bids,” Polick said.

This year’s contract also combines culvert replacement projects with resurfacing work. Issues related to the culvert replacements led to a delay in the bid process; the authorization to initiate the bid contract and to award a contract to the successful low responsible bidder was approved by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on June 21. The contract will not return to the supervisors unless the low bid exceeds the budgeted amount, in which case authorization for additional appropriations will be required.

The county will also use more rubberized asphalt concrete pavement in this year’s contract. Although the initial cost for rubberized pavement is greater, the longer life expectancy and lower maintenance costs provide a lifecycle savings for the county. Rubberized pavement has also been shown to reduce noise levels and thus is often used in residential areas.

The contractor with the successful bid will work with the Department of Public Works to prioritize the roadwork, and the phases will not concentrate on specific communities. Off-peak hours, mostly between 9:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., have traditionally been used for work on business-area roads to minimize traffic delays due to the roadwork, and work around schools is often coordinated with off-school hours or weeks to reduce disruption. “We try not to interrupt traffic flows, especially in peak hours,” Polick said.

The construction work is expected to begin in early 2007 and is planned to be complete by June if no delays occur. After the bids have been opened, county staff will investigate the ability of the low bidder, ensure that specifics are approved by both the bidder and the county, and hold a pre-construction meeting with the contractor.