City, MDOT agree to roadway upgrades

The Grand Rapids City Commission last week approved an agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation to improve Michigan Street and other roadways in accordance with the Vital Streets initiative.

The project consists of rotomilling and resurfacing, installing Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps, bulbouts, trees, pavement markings, as well as curb and sidewalk repairs. Broadway Avenue and Eastern Avenue will be restriped from two travel and parking lanes to two travel lanes, one parking lane and bike lanes. Michigan Street will be restriped from four lanes to three travel lanes, and bike lanes and sidewalks will be added from Greenwich Road to East Beltline Avenue.

A section of Broadway Avenue from First Street to Third Street and a section of Eastern Avenue from Hall Street to Isabella Court will be narrowed. The projects are part of the local region’s Surface Transportation Program-Urban, administered by Grand Valley Metropolitan Council, as part of the FY2017-FY2020 Transportation Improvement Program. The rehabilitation work planned furthers the goals of the Vital Streets Plan.

The Michigan Department of Transportation received bids for this project July 12. The engineer’s estimate prepared by Moore & Bruggink Inc. in Grand Rapids is $2,729,500 and Kamminga & Roodvoets Inc. in Kentwood submitted a bid of $2,731,297.35.

The estimated total expenditures are $3,902,000 for the project, which includes the construction contract, previously authorized design phase services by M&B, construction phase services by M&B, previously authorized geotechnical services by public service industries, traffic safety force account work, a public information program, administration and an approximately 12% allowance for contingencies.

The city commission approved the agreement with MDOT and the authorization of total expenditures in an amount not to exceed $2,821,165 for the local share of costs for this project. The local share of costs for this project is being financed by the Vital Streets Fund.

Additionally, the city commission approved an increase in the local share of expenditures for the reconstruction of Division Avenue from Wealthy Street to Cherry Street in an amount not to exceed $3,798,468.

The city commission anticipated the Downtown Development Authority will consider a request for approval of its share of costs, estimated at $638,000, at its meeting Aug. 14.

Authorization of total expenditures is contingent upon the Downtown Development Authority authorizing its share of costs.

In an earlier meeting, the city commission approved an agreement with MDOT and authorized total expenditures in an amount not to exceed $3,415,468 for the local share of costs for the project.

MDOT received bids for the Division Avenue project June 28. The engineer’s estimate prepared by M&B is $3,088,196 and Diversco Construction Company in Grand Rapids submitted a bid of $3,414,403.

The cost of certain items like traffic control, landscaping, street lighting, water main and storm sewer were higher than estimated. Estimated total expenditures are $4,608,000 for this project, which includes the construction contract, previously authorized design phase services by M&B, construction phase services by M&B, traffic safety force account work and a public information program, administration and an approximately 12% allowance for contingencies.