Basalt is choosing from a list of four companies that want to build the town’s long-anticipated underpass.
Basalt received four bids, all lower than the ones that came in a failed round last year. An engineering firm advising the town on the project estimates that $6,663,305 more is needed to build the underpass. It would run under Highway 82 and connect the north and south sides of Basalt Avenue.
Three bids came in below what the town is hoping to pay for the project, which has seen skyrocketing costs. Most bids are at $6.2 or $6.3 million dollars. The lowest is by United Companies, which is based in Grand Junction. Town staff are recommending Council Members choose that option.
Basalt tried bidding out the project last year, but companies interested in the work wanted to charge more than two million dollars over what the town had budgeted for.