Fairfax Village Bridge Contract Awarded to? $ 633,000

[David Shea]

Here it is:

Fairfax BHF 023-1 (5)       Request Date: 8/5/2009 8:51:26 AM
Open Date:
Closing Date: 8/28/2009 11:00 AM
Intent To Bid Deadline:
Est. Dollar Value: $0.00
RFQ Number:
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Agency of Transportation - Contract Administration

One National Life Drive
Montpelier,  VT 05633-5001

Bid Type:
Job Contract

Locations:
Franklin
Keywords:
Construction (Non Building)

Bid Description:
LOCATION: BEGINNING ON VT 104 APPROXIMATELY 0.80 MILES NORTHWESTERLY OF THE INTERSECTION OF VT 104 AND VT 128 AND EXTENDING SOUTH EASTERLY 0.038 MILES. TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION: THE REHABILITATION OF EXISTING BRIDGE #10 OVER THE MILL BROOK TO INCLUDE THE SUPERSTRUCTURE ALONG WITH RELATED SUBSTRUCTURE REPAIR AND APPROACH ROADWAY WORK. ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE: CATEGORY C. COST OF PLANS: TWENTY TWO DOLLARS AND NO CENTS ($22.00).
Special Instructions:
Awardees
Blow & Cote
   9/1/2009    
815 VT Route 15 East
Morrisville, VT
   $633,990.85    
      
 

[BCota]

Not sure on the accuracy of that $633,000 price tag?  I've been soliciting the VAOT Project manager, Carolyn Carlson, for information regarding the current bridge and according to her the new bridge is worth nearly $780,000.  Not that it really matters to Fairfaxians b/c it is being funded 80% federally and 20% by the state.  It is common in this type of integral route construction for the contract to include incentives for the contractor to complete the project expeditiously -- its possible that the difference in value could be related to a similar type of incentive.  Rather ironic that the new bridge is funded with stimulus $$$ b/c the current bridge was built circa 1932 -- quite possibly with "New Deal" funding. 

[Henry]

There are several other posts related to the Bridge #10 Project:

http://www.vtgrandpa.com/forum/index.php?topic=2100.0

http://www.vtgrandpa.com/forum/index.php?topic=6248.0

http://www.vtgrandpa.com/forum/index.php?topic=2134.0

[Mike Raburn]

Sadly, domestic steel prices are going down.

I bought out a small job from quotes we got a few months back and they current prices are lower.

Also with the economy, people are "buying jobs".
Mark ups are going at 5% and and lower.

ON THE OTHER HAND, good for tax payers is it is Govt work.

[BCota]

not sure how big of an effect steel prices would've had on this one....precast concrete...no onsite or stay-in-place steel formwork; just some wooden forms to cast the sidewalks.

[Mike Raburn]

So now rebar?

Yikes!

[BCota]

actually there is a substantial amount of rebar (especially where the sidewalk connects to the deck beams) and it is all epoxy coated (the green stuff)....just not $150,000 worth.  A rough estimate of the rebar cost is more like $4-5k.  The prestressing strands are more costly, somewhere in the neighborhood of $15k.

[Mike Raburn]

Epoxy coated rebar is such a joke.

It is a waste of money.

I have been on jobs, NOT BRIDGES mind you, where we have gotten it removed.

Why not inject the holes you drill with an epoxy like you do when you dowel slabs?
Labor vs product costs are the same.

Again, I disclaim any bridge design.

I was on a job where we built an elevated structure out of pre cast conc for the ALASKA Railraod and there was NOT a stick of epoxy coated rebar spec'd by the FRA or Alaska DOT. They run FULL size locomotives and passenger cars over it.

If you arrive at Anchorage Intl Airport, you see the building and the elevated track.

Google it.

I spent 3 years there onsite during 2000 - 2003.

[BCota]

"Epoxy coated rebar is such a joke.

It is a waste of money."


x2

[Mike Raburn]

Thank goodness some agrees with me.

Let US underlings educate the engineers!

[BCota]

careful....I am one of the engineers

[Mike Raburn]

You been EDUCATED!

[BCota]

I is!

[Mike Raburn]

I retract my statement from last month about steel prices.

I got a small job on Tuesday but the owner wants to start after the 4th July holiday.
I called suppliers to see if we can hold the pricing until they come out of permitting, no, and plus we may have changes. So there is no way we can lock in.


The metal stud suppliers will not quote until the 19th of April and then you can expect a 10% - 15% increase each month until August.

The plumbers said the same on copper and what not.
Ditto the electricians and ditto the aluminum storefront guys and ditto the small amount of iron I need.
They say even the GWB may be going up, not Chinese though!! yuk yuk yuk......They can't give that away.

So a 2 million dollar job just grew until the owner gets out of permitting and then hopefully we can lock in pricing.

[BCota]

When the Chinese were gearing up for the Olympics they bought up all of the steel (recycled and otherwise) which caused gross inflation of the steel market.