Construction expected to begin July 18
The Highway #4 through St. James project was successfully rebid in May and is ready to move forward with construction. A public information open house is scheduled on Wednesday, June 29 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at the St. James Community Center, located at 505 1st Avenue South.
The public is encouraged to attend to learn about the revised construction schedule, detours and local access routes. Staff from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), City of St. James and the contractor will review construction information and answer questions.
Construction will begin Monday, July 18 and continue in 2017-2018.
S M Hentges & Sons, Inc. of Jordan was awarded the contract with a bid of $15,685,646, about $3.2 million less than the lowest bid in February. A couple of factors figured into the lower bids. There were more bidders, staging options were offered and the risk with the hazardous material removal was reduced.
The federal demonstration grant to construct two mini-roundabouts and back-in-diagonal parking as part of the Highway #4 reconstruction project remains intact. The Accelerated Innovation Deployment grant is for $864,000 and will be applied to the shared cost of the mini-roundabouts replacing signalized Highway #4 intersections with 7th Street and Armstrong Boulevard in downtown St. James.
The Highway #4 project, which extends from south of Watonwan County Fairgrounds to 11th Avenue North, includes utility replacement throughout the project, upgrading sidewalk and pedestrian ramps for safe ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible accommodations, lighting and intersection and access revisions.
More information can be found on the project website at www.mndot.gov/stjames/.
