by CHRIS ROGERS
When it comes to fixing potholed streets, usually the challenge is finding enough funds. The city of Winona had the money in hand and was set to completely rebuild South Baker Street this summer, but supply chain disruptions forced the city to postpone the project until next year.
The South Baker Street and Gilmore Avenue intersection is the primary entrance for the Winona Senior High School, and the city planned for contractors to rebuild that intersection over the summer, with construction wrapping up in time for the street to reopen before the start of school. However, the winning bidders on the project said they would not be able to get the materials they needed until September at the earliest, Winona City Engineer Ryan Meiners explained. That meant the Gilmore Avenue intersection would be closed during part of the school year, with the project unlikely to be finished before winter.
Instead, at city staff’s recommendation, the City Council voted unanimously on Monday to reject all bids on the project and try rebidding it next year.
“We’re going to get it done; it’s just going to be later than we planned on?” City Council member Michelle Alexander asked. “Exactly,” Meiners responded.
The project would have rebuilt South Baker Street from the ground up — including new water lines, curbs, and gutters — from Gilmore Avenue to West Fifth Street. Meiners said, as part of the project, the city would remove 20-25 boulevard trees while planting 40 new trees. It was the city’s only road reconstruction project this year. More modest resurfacing work — known as mill and overlay — will move forward on other streets this year.
Meiners said he would seek bids earlier in the year next year — in January — giving contractors more lead time to secure supplies and likely attracting more bidders. City staff put the project up for bid in late March of this year.
Asked whether more bids would produce lower prices, Meiners said it was hard to say, given how supply chain disruptions are driving up material costs. City officials originally estimated the project to cost $1.7 million before amending that estimate to $2.2 million. The lowest bid was just under $2.5 million.
