Commission approves pedestrian bridge contract

City commissioners approved a $216,661 contract Tuesday night to Tamietti Construction for the 25th Street North bike/pedestrian bridge construction.

The project includes installation of a bike/pedestrian bridge along the east side of 25th Street North over an existing railroad line to provide a safe connection from the residential area south of the railway to attractions north of the railway including Centene Stadium, the Montana Veterans Memorial and Eagle Falls Golf Club.

The bridge project was approved for funding in 2003 through the Community Transportation Enhancement Program of the Montana Department of Transportation.

In the city’s Long Range Transportation Plan, it’s recommended that new pedestrian facilities be selected to close gaps in the nonmotorized transportation network, make connections to and from major destinations and improve conditions and safety for pedestrians.

The bridge project was initiated to provide a safe path of travel for pedestrians and cyclists adjacent to the 25th Street North bridge. The existing vehicle bridge does not have a safe width for bicycles, nor a safe, separated sidewalk for pedestrians. The new bike/pedestrian bridge will be located east of the existing bridge, separate from vehicle traffic.

Last year, the city separately bid and contracted for the pre-fabricated bridge that will be delivered to the site as the first phase of the project. Tamietti will construct the bridge abutments and coordinate delivery and installation of the bridge. Tamietti will also improve sidewalks from 8th Avenue North to the Pasta Montana entrance on the east side of 25th. Work is scheduled to start this spring.

Bids for the project were about $75,000 higher than the engineer’s estimate and also higher than the budgeted amount, so the contract award was postponed during a December commission meeting to evaluate bids and pursue funding options for the additional cost.

Staff recommended using the CTEP finds and using Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program funds, also from MDT, to make up the additional funding.

To make up the local match, the city’s street and Park Trust funds will each provide $14,537.99. That’s about $5,000 more per each city fund than originally budgeted.

Commissioners also:

•Approved a minor subdivision and conditional-use permit for a townhouse at 114 2nd Ave. N.W.

•Approved Calumet Montana Refining’s appeal of conditions attached to its Montana Pollutant Discharge Elimination System discharge permit and dismissed the appeal.

•Approved a $414,447.31 bid for two new 2016 Kenworth T440 tandem axle trucks with new Heil Durapack 5000 rearload refuse packers with Quik-tip to Motor Power of Great Falls, including trade-ins; and

•Approved a $554,044 bid for two new 2016 Autocar ACX64 tandem axle trucks with two new Heil Rapid Rail sideload refuse packers to Jack’s Truck Center of Gillette, Wyo.