Fifth Ave. project bids arrive under estimate

By David Skolnick | May 31, 2014 at 12:04a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Proposals to repair a section of Fifth Avenue, littered with potholes, came in well under the city’s estimated cost.

The apparent low proposal of the five opened Friday came from Karvo Paving Co. of Stow at $913,337. RT Vernal Paving & Excavating Inc. of North Lima had the next-lowest proposal at $916,960. The highest proposal came from the Shelly Co. of Twinsburg at $1,028,322 — still below the city’s estimate of $1,269,988 for the work.

The city’s board of control will award the contract shortly after July 1, said Charles Shasho, deputy director of public works.

The project will be funded entirely from state and federal money, he said. The state money won’t come until after July 1, when the state’s fiscal year begins, causing the city to wait a month to award the contract, Shasho said.

“We’re pleased with the results,” he said. “This winter was especially bad on [Fifth Avenue]. It would have been nice to have the road done last year, but it will be paved this summer.”

The project includes paving, adding handicap ramps and traffic signs, and striping Fifth Avenue from U.S. Route 422 to Gypsy Lane on the city’s North Side.

Also, the Ohio Department of Transportation will pay about $20,000 to the city to be the construction administrator on this project, Shasho said.

The project should take about 90 days to complete once work starts, he said.

The city had sought proposals earlier this month for six catch basins on that stretch of Fifth Avenue, but the proposals were considerably more than the $60,000 estimate.

Instead, the drainage problems will be addressed during the milling part of the project, Shasho said.

There will be lane restrictions when the work is being done, but the road won’t close, he said.