In a unanimous decision, the Newman City Council voted 4-0 at their July 23 meeting to adopt the staff recommendation of accepting the low bid from Rolfe Construction for the Jensen Road Improvements Project.
The bid, amounting to $976,638, was the lowest among seven bids received and opened on July 17. The City Manager has been authorized to execute the agreement on behalf of the City of Newman.
“This has been on the city council’s radar for some time now,” said City Manger Michael Holland.
The project is a significant step in the ongoing development of the Northwest Newman Master Plan. The City Council certified an Environmental Impact Report for the Master Plan in December 2017, marking the first step toward annexing the properties. The annexation process is being carried out in phases, with Phase 1, including the Jensen Road right-of-way, already completed.
Currently, Jensen Road is underdeveloped, requiring vehicles to pull over to the side when passing each other. The approved project will address this issue by widening and reconstructing Jensen Road from one lane to two lanes between Fig Lane and Highway 33. Additionally, new water infrastructure will be installed, and a pedestrian pathway will be constructed along the northern edge of the roadway.
The project was advertised in the Westside Index Newspaper on June 26, July 3, and July 10, 2024. The bids received were as follows:
- Rolfe Construction: $976,638.00
- TBS Contractors: $979,188.57
- United Pavement Maintenance, Inc.: $997,341.55
- George Reed Inc.: $1,034,618.00
- McFadden Construction: $1,041,443.20
- Knife River Construction: $1,067,558.00
- Dirt Dynasty Inc.: $1,073,561.00
The engineer’s estimate for the project was $1,032,534.
“The fact that it came in under budget is really exciting,” Holland said.
The funds for the project are coming from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Rolfe Construction has been working on several projects in Newman over the last three years, Holland said.
“They seem to like working out here,” he said.
