AUBURN — The city should begin its annual road improvements
within weeks, according to city officials.
The Auburn City Council awarded the project contract Thursday to
local firm F. Rizzo Construction, which submitted the lowest bid of
approximately $2.09 million. That will make this summer’s road
improvements the largest effort in recent years, with $1.4 million
the most spent in any of the past three years.
William Lupien, the city’s chief engineer, told the councilors
that the contractor should be ready to begin road work in about two
weeks, after they get their insurance lined up.
“Then they’ll go full blast,†Lupien said. “They’ll be working
in July.â€
In the spring, the city council agreed to bond for up to $2.2
million in response to increasing public concerns over the quality
of the city’s roads following an especially severe winter. This
year’s road repairs include 22 stretches of street with 11
alternates.
Lupien also said crews are almost done with the work to finish
holdover work from the 2010 repairs. Last year’s list of leftovers
was larger than normal because the city awarded the contract later
than normal and the city also diverted some resources to projects
related to a state grant and necessary work at railroad crossings
during the season.
“I think we’re 98 percent done,†Lupien said of holdover
work.
Rizzo Construction beat out Auburn firm Paul F. Vitale
Construction and Fairport firm Villager Construction, who bid
approximately $2.17 million and $2.5 million, respectively.
In other news:
* Jeff Dygert was officially installed as fire chief for the
Auburn Fire Department with family members and uniformed
firefighters in the audience. Dygert served as an assistant chief
for the AFD until he was appointed to replace former chief Michael
Hammon, who recently retired.
* The council voted to install sidewalks along portions of
Aurelius Avenue as part of the Community Development Block Grant
program. The program is funded by the federal government.
* Councilor Gilda Brower was absent from the meeting.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 282-2282 or
christopher.caskey@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter at
CitizenCaskey.
