The Mountlake Terrace City Council likely will instruct City staff to reject the one bid received for the Lakeside Apartments Pedestrian Accessibility Improvements project and to re-advertise the project.

During a Thursday work session, the Council heard about the project, which consists of constructing sidewalk ramps to meet the current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards, along the north side of 219th Street SW. The construction includes 10 sidewalk ramps, approximately 140 linear feet of cement concrete curb and gutter, pedestrian curb, restoring asphalt pavement,sidewalks and landscaping, traffic and erosion control and other miscellaneous work.

The one bid received on the project was approximately 15 percent over the amount budgeted for the project. City staff indicated that when very few bids are received on a project, bid amounts tend to be high due to lack of competition. Based on review of the single bid received on this project, engineering staff believes this to be the case.

City staff recommended submitting the project through the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington rosters, which will enable the City to directly solicit multiple contractors to perform the project work.

Re-advertising will allow the City to receive more competitive bids that are more likely to be in line with the engineer’s estimate. If the single bid is rejected, the project schedule would be minimally affected. The City Council was supportive of the City staff’s recommendation to reject the single bid and to re-advertise the project.

The City Council is scheduled to take action on the matter at its Monday, Sept. 15 meeting.