BIDDING PROCESS CHANGE SAVES CITY MORE THAN $10M ON ROAD BOND PROJECT
(Jan. 28, 2025)
MIDLAND, TEXAS -- The Midland City Council learned this month that a change in the bidding process saved taxpayers more than $10 million on the Road Bond project.
City leaders approved a change order that primarily addresses safety improvements to include roadway striping, illumination and signage for Garfield Street from Michigan Avenue to Golf Course Road.
City staff also told the council that the city will add continuous sidewalk and new curb and gutter not included on the original plans. City staff told the Council that the Garfield project should be completed by the fall. As work is completed, driveways, alleys and roadways will be open to the public. City staff also noted lane closures will be used to compete sidewalk and incidentals.
“We are currently on pace to complete all three phases of the project (utilities, paving, and roundabouts) including the change order at approximately $13 million,” city staff noted. “Roughly 50% of the original $25 million bid.”
In 2017, voters overwhelmingly approved the $100 million Road Bond. Because of the savings found, it is expected that the City of Midland will finish 26 projects with $10 million to be invested in more infrastructure improvements across the city.
In 2022, the City of Midland bid out a full package project (for Garfield – one of 26 Road Bond projects). The package included the reconstruction of the roadway and all underground utilities (water, sewer, storm drain, and paving). The hope was that a contractor could construct one single project faster.
“Unfortunately, we received a bid of $25M which was three times more than our estimates,” city staff reported.
Staff (with council approval) denied the bid and divided the project to reduce construction costs. Staff broke up the project into 3 phases.
• Phase I - paving and utilities from Michigan to Louisiana to minimize disruptions to the hospital.
• Phase II - utilities from Louisiana to Golf Course
• Phase III - paving from Louisiana to Golf Course. Paving has been divided between a contractor and city staff.