New township safety path contract awarded
By Dana Casadei
The 2023 Jan Roncelli Safety Path retaining wall repair and fence repair contract was awarded to Italia Construction, Inc., after a unanimous vote at the Monday, February 12 meeting of the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees.
Italia Construction, Inc. was one of three companies to bid on the project, and was the lowest bid at $761,641.22.
Bloomfield Township has worked with Italia Construction, Inc. numerous times, including multiple retaining wall and safety path projects. They were also the contractor for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 safety path projects; the 2023 Safety Pair Repair Project; and the ADA Ramp Improvement Project.
There are 13 total locations across Bloomfield Township that fall under this retaining wall and fence repair program. Seven are existing segmental block retaining walls that need to either be reconstructed, repaired or completely removed, including one located in front of the 48th District Court House on Telegraph Road.
The additional six locations that will be worked are existing spilt rail wood fences that will be replaced with commercial grade aluminum fencing.
According to Corey Almas, director of engineering & environmental services department (ESSD), the site work will vary across locations, and include clearing, removal of existing walls and regrading, sidewalk removal and replacement, reconstruction of existing segmental block retaining walls, drainage improvements, landscaping and associated restoration.
The approval of this contract will give the Bloomfield Township EESD the authority to approve up to a 10 percent increase to the contract if need be, which would be based on the actual quantities needed to complete the project of conditions discovered in the field. The EESD and consulting engineers would need to confirm this before the 10 percent is given.
Originally in the proposal anything above 10 percent would need approval from only Supervisor Dani Walsh. After some discussion from the board, this was edited slightly, so that Walsh could approve anything on her own, if desired, if a contract went over between 10-15 percent. There was also an additional amendment that anything above 15 percent would need approval from the board of trustees.
