Commercial Street Trail gets going

Work will soon commence on the first phase of the Commercial Street Trail in Morgan. The project has been awarded to J. Wilkinson & Sons in the amount of $304,064.50. 

The city’s engineering consultant, Jones & Associates, recommended the bid be awarded to J. Wilkinson & Sons based on “their experience in doing similar work, their good references, and their low base bid,” according to a memo sent to the city. “We feel that their proposal is very competitive and properly balanced,” it said.

Three other bids were received on the project: Wardell Brothers Construction $321,145.50; 3XL Construction $372, 443.54 and Post Construction $436, 916.70

Despite being the low bid and the city getting a better price than expected, the J. Wilkinson & Sons amount is higher than what the city has budgeted for it so the project has been divided up into three schedules: A, B and C. J. Wilkinson & Sons bid A&B at $147,094.50 and C at at $156,970.  

City officials are hoping to qualify for a federal grant that will fund the Schedule C part of the project. If Morgan doesn’t get the grant, they will hold off on that part of the project, City Manager Ty Bailey told the city council March 26.

Schedule A will include some work near Riverside Park — bringing in granular fill, installing a compacted road base and a 6-inch concrete sidewalk — to ensure ADA compliance and access to and from the Michelson Mile, Streets Supervisor Lance Prescott said.

Last fall Prescott witnessed a woman with a stroller struggle to get from the trail to the park pavilion, he said. “It hit me like a ton of bricks: I'm like ‘You can't get from the walking path to the park.’”

In Schedule B, a 10-foot wide asphalt trail will be constructed. The contractor will install a 6-inch compacted road base, remove the curb and gutter, relocate an existing hydrant, install a concrete pedestrian access ramp and curb and gutter, and replace water and sewer lines as needed.

Schedule C involves developing the trail under the bridge which will include removing boulders and other debris, excavation, installing a 6-inch compacted road base and a  6-inch concrete sidewalk, installing two access gates, and importing granular fill for future parking.  The bid includes installing a concrete retaining wall and dewatering (draining) under the bridge, but Prescott said he is looking into some options that may avoid that.

Standard street lights will be installed on that part of the project since the area under the bridge is so dark, Prescott said. “It will provide light out on the street as well as lighting up the back in the walking path.”

City officials are anxious for the contractor to get going on the project as soon as the weather allows as the city may forfeit a separate $78,000 grant if work is not completed on the first two sections by May 18. (Bailey told the council it may be possible to get a grant extension if there is a delay).

The city council voted unanimously that evening to approve the bid award.

“I talked to a few people that are pretty excited about being able to walk down to the end of Commercial Street now and then on an existing trail walk over to the new bridge which would take them over to the school or to the Wilkinson complex so [it’s] definitely a worthwhile project,” Councilmember Tony London said.

Mayor Steve Gale agreed.

“I think that will be a hot spot of the city,” he said of the trail. λ