Met Council to award first Central Corridor heavy construction contract

The Central Corridor Project Office in the Twin Cities will recommend a contractor in June for the heavy construction work for the line's eastern seven miles. The Metropolitan Council is expected to make the award June 23.

As announced in March,
the work would begin in August east of the state Capitol on Robert and 12th
streets north of Interstate 94. Most of the heavy construction, though, on
University Avenue will occur in 2011 between Emerald Street and Hamline Avenue
and in 2012 between Hamline and Robert. The work in downtown St. Paul will
occur in 2011-2012. A work schedule will be developed after the contractor is
hired.

The project budget is
$234.4 million for this civil engineering work, including work for cooperating
agencies and utilities that have work in the contract.

All six prequalified
bidders submitted bids. Their apparent bids are:

• Walsh, $205.4 million

• PCL, $219.7 million

• McCrossan/Ames, $224.2
million

• Granite, $226.9 million

• Graham/KA, $232.8 million

• Kiewit, $246.2 million

The work includes:

• Relocating utilities
necessary for the LRT trackway.

• Constructing nearly
seven miles of embedded double track.

• Fully reconstructing
streets where track is being installed.

• Building 14 stations
from Westgate to Union Depot.

• Modifying two bridges
(on University over Highway 280 and on Cedar Street over Interstates 94 and
35E).

• Installing concrete
paving for signalized intersections.

• Building an
infiltration trench for collecting storm water.

• Constructing at-grade
pedestrian crossings.

• Demolishing the vacant
Bremer Bank building, reconnecting the skyway.

Bids for the heavy
construction work on the line’s western three miles are to be opened July 27.
The Met Council is to award that contract Aug. 25. Work will begin in
September.