East Grand Forks has approved the lone bid for street and ADA improvements this summer despite the construction price-tag coming in 24% over engineer estimates.
The city council reviewed the numbers again last night (Tuesday) for the Fifth Avenue NE and DeMers work before voting 5-2 in favor of the project.
One of the main funding sources comes from the federal “subtarget” dollars that total $860,000 dollars.
Council President Mark Olstad says construction costs aren’t coming down and it’s an important project.
Council member Dale Helms says he supports the work but wonders if by approving the amount it will encourage higher bids moving forward.
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In other council notes members heard from the owners of a business plan to bring a peddle pub to downtown Grand Forks and East Grand Forks. Justin LaRocque says he understands drafting an ordinance to allow the multi-passenger bikes on city streets takes time – but they are also keeping an eye on the calendar. “We are still actively wondering if we even want to continue with it for this summer. If we are getting too far into July it’s probably not going to make a lot of business sense to push and make it happen because it’s a seasonal business.”
City officials on both sides of the river have indicated general support for the plan.
Picture: EGF staff report
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