1958 - $161,180 Bid on Underpass In Northeast Given to Council

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Roanoke Times - July 15, 1958

$161,180 Bid on Underpass In Northeast Given to Council

   The city yesterday got an apparent low bid of $161,180 for 
construction of an underpass of the Norfolk and Western's Shenandoah 
Division and related work. The underpass would connect Mundy and 
Liberty roads, NE.
   The bid, one of seven received by City Council for the project 
came from Ralph E. Mills Co., of Salem.

   Mills bid $80,485 for the underpass project and $80,695 for 
excavation, street construction, sanitary sewers and a storm drain 
extending to Tinker Creek.
   The over-all project had been estimated to cost $230,000. The 
underpass figure was $140,000, sewers $39,000 and street work, $51,000.
   Bids on the two projects indicate a savings of about $28,000 from 
the estimate.
   Of the total underpass estimate only $98,000 in work was covered 
by the bid of $80,485. In addition, there will be work costing around 
$48,000 to be done by the N&W.
   The railway agreed to pay 50 per cent of the underpass work alone, 
which means its share will be about $65,000. The city must bear the 
full cost of streets, sewers and drainage.
   Council indicated its willingness to go ahead with the full 
project at this time and appropriate sufficient funds to meets its 
obligation, assuming the apparent low bid is in order.
   The budget carries an appropriation of $80,000 which Council had 
provided to get at least a part of the work done this year. The rest 
had been considered for next year.
   Council decided, however, when plans were completed and the 
estimates given, to call for bids on the entire project. It hoped 
that the actual cost would fall considerably below the estimate.
   If the bid is acceptable, Council must appropriate another $65,000 
in order to see the work carried to completion this year.
   Mayor Walter L. Young termed the proposals "very favorable" and 
told Council that the N&W plans to starting driving pilings Wednesday.
   This work is necessary to provide support for the tracks during 
the period of excavation and actual construction of the concrete 
abutments that will support the tracks.
   If, at its meeting two weeks hence, Council accepts a bid and 
appropriates additional funds, the contractor will not be greatly 
delayed in starting actual construction of the underpass, Young said.
   The contractor could concentrate on street grading until the 
temporary railway supports are completed, then turn to the heavy 
excavation, Young explained.
   Another of the bids was only about $1,700 higher than the Mills figure.

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- Ron Davis, Roger Link