By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Wednesday, July 10, is a huge day on Decatur’s calendar.
That’s when the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) opens bids for the project which will essentially gut the city’s Five Points intersection and install a roundabout.
If at least one bid is acceptable, the project could begin later this year or next spring. If all bids are over the INDOT engineer’s estimate for the cost of the work, they could be rejected with the process starting all over.
But that’s only an “if” at this point.
Operations Manager Jeremy Gilbert told city council Tuesday night that after the bids are opened, the city will have only a short time to accept or reject them.
In recommending a special meeting be established, Gilbert said, “We need to be prepared. We will have only a short time” to decide if the bids are acceptable.
Gilbert explained that he will be informed of the bids within a couple of hours after they are opened.
City officials will be setting up a special meeting date soon.
If the bids are accepted, Gilbert said, 20% of the cost of the project – Decatur’s “match” – will need to be paid within 30 days.
The project was originally estimated to cost $3,057.690. The federal government would put up $2,442,352 of that amount while Decatur’s 20% share would amount to $610,338.
Those are, however, estimated numbers.
With inflation pushing up prices, the project has been delayed twice. Now, though, costs are coming back down are so the bid date was set up.
Federal funds are being used, with INDOT administering the project.
Gilbert said it would be up to the winning contractor to decide when to start, so it could be later this year or next year.
The project is expected to take 90 to 120 days.