Rosalia sidewalk improvement project out for bid

Rosalia is seeking bids for a sidewalk restoration project near its school. The town has issued a call for sealed bids which will be due by 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6.

The town is planning for improvements of the sidewalk on the west side of Josephine Ave. from Seventh to Ninth streets. The improvements include removal and replacement of existing sidewalk and the installation of ADA concrete ramps.

“Enough of the sidewalk has become, in general, beat up,” said Trevor Skelton, project engineer with J-U-B Engineers in Spokane.

“We'll be pulling out existing sidewalk and widening it to five feet and six feet in some places, and also installing tactile strips for the vision impaired to know when they are coming to a crossing.”

The project also includes paint striping.

“In general, it's cleaning up the area,” said Skelton.

The project is being funded by the Transportation Improvement Board's Safe Routes to School program, said Rosalia Mayor Nanette Konishi.

“They're going to fund the whole thing,” said Konishi. “Those sidewalks have been in pretty bad shape for a long time, and they are certainly not ADA accessible.”

Konishi said the budget for the project is around $240,000.

Josephine runs along the east side of the Rosalia schools.

“It's one that's going to help the town a lot,” said Skelton. “It's something I'm looking forward to both for students and for the community.”

Skelton said the timeline for the project right now depends on the bids. As it is getting late in the season, some companies might not be keen to take on another project.

“I am hoping we get it all wrapped up, but it all depends on who wants to bid on it. Some might be too busy,” he said.

The bid also has to fit within the budget. Skelton said the project has been listed with latest completion in December 2017 to allow for wiggle room if a bid is not awarded in October. If that is the case, the project would be shelved and re-opened for bid in early spring.

If all goes according to plan, though, the bid will be awarded in October, and work would begin as soon as possible.

“It's slated for 15 working days, and since there's no major holidays, it's a three-week job if everything goes well,” said Skelton.

Skelton said concrete can be laid down in temperatures as low as 28 degrees, so the weather should not be too much of a factor. He added that as the temperatures dip into the low 50s and high 40s, blankets would be laid over the concrete after it is poured to trap heat and keep it warm so it could settle.

“We'll try to get it done before it gets too cold,” he said.

Mayor Konishi said residents have been very receptive to the project.

“We did a walk around to residents' houses who are going to be affected by the project, and they were very favorable about what was going to happen. It's an area that has needed some work for a long time,” she said. “And we're going to be able to save trees, which always makes people happy.”

Bid proposals are due to the Rosalia Town Hall (110 W. Fifth, Rosalia, WA 99170) by 10 a.m. on Oct. 6. Proposals will be opened and publicly read aloud at the first council meeting in October, slated for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Rosalia Library council chambers.

Information copies of maps, plans and specifications for the project can be viewed at the Rosalia Town Hall and Spokane Regional Plan Center. Purchasable copies are also available at J-U-B Engineers for $35.