PORT ANGELES — Exeltech Consulting has been selected to design a new bridge for Lauridsen Boulevard.
The Port Angeles City Council voted 6-1 to award the $1.26 million contract to the Lacey-based company Tuesday.
The vote also allotted a $100,515 contract to the company to design a new intersection at the point that Lincoln Street meets Lauridsen Boulevard.
City Councilman Max Mania voted no.
Both projects are part of the city’s plan for a new truck route down the boulevard, which is why they were awarded together, staff said.
The bridge project, estimated to cost a total of $3.7 million, is scheduled to finish in January 2014. Construction would start in March 2013.
When finished, it will be wider to allow large trucks to negotiate turns onto and from Race Street.
A federal grant administered by the state Department of Transportation is covering 80 percent of the cost.
Mania said he supports the projects but voted no because of concerns he has had with the company’s performance on other contracts.
“I just have some concerns of the main contractor,” he told the Peninsula Daily News.
“Cost is a main part of it.”
Mania noted that the Eighth Street bridges replacement project, which Exeltech managed, went over budget by 1 percent.
Exeltech has been a frequent contractor with the city in recent years.
Other than the Eighth Street bridges project, the company has designed a new pedestrian bridge over Dry Creek and managed the construction of The Gateway transit center.
While the Eighth Street bridges project went over budget, city Engineer Mike Puntenney said Wednesday that the city found the number of change orders to be acceptable.
“It’s an extremely low change-order rate for a construction project,” he said.
“Some go as high as 30 [percent] to 40 percent. One percent — that is stellar.”
Completion of the Eighth Street bridges was delayed from November 2008 until February 2009 because cold, wet weather prevented a sealant from being applied.
City Engineer Jim Mahlum and Puntenney said Wednesday that Exeltech was not responsible for a long delay with the completion of The Gateway.
Completion of the downtown transit facility was delayed by seven months due to a large crack in its foundation. It opened in June 2009.
“All they did was the construction management,” Mahlum said. “Not the design.”
In February 2010, members of the City Council also questioned a $164,800 contract with Exeltech to design the new Dry Creek pedestrian bridge.
Glenn Cutler, city Public Works and Utilities director, acknowledged then that the contract was a bit higher than he expected but defended it, saying overhead costs on smaller projects such as that one tend to drive up the price.
The council approved that contract in a 4-3 vote, with Mania, Cherie Kidd — who is now mayor — and Brad Collins opposed.
Ten engineering firms sought the contract awarded Tuesday.
Exeltech, David Evans and Associates, and Sarget Engineers were the finalists.
Staff told the council that Exeltech was selected because the company was the most qualified to handle some of the project’s challenges, including building over Peabody Creek and the relocation of nearby power lines.
Mahlum said Exeltech has the most local subcontractors — five — on its team of any of the applicants.
They are Zenovic and Associates, Johnston Land Surveying, Lindberg-Smith Architect, Northwestern Territories Inc. and Wengler Surveying.
Exeltech hired former Port Angeles Mayor and City Councilwoman Karen Rogers in 2010 to oversee the company’s regional business-development efforts.
Puntenney said the city had no involvement with Rogers through the selection process for the contracts.
“The city staff prides itself in running a fair and impartial contracting process in accordance with state law, staying arm’s length from any external influences,” Puntenney said.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
