Breckenridge Texan

Construction will soon get under way on the Parks Street Paving and Draining project after city commissioners awarded the contract for the construction during their meeting Tuesday night.

Commissioners awarded the $4,009,417.85 contract to TEC Excavation, Inc., based out of Midland. Their bid, which was the only bid that was received for the project, was reviewed by the city’s engineering consultants Enprotec/Hibbs and Todd that is overseeing the project. After the review, they recommended to commissioners that the contract be awarded to the company.

Breckenridge City Manager Andy McCuisiston said the bid for the construction portion of the project came in about $400,000 less than they anticipated and the saved money will be put into a contingency fund for the project.

“We expected the bid to come in around $4.4 million and they came around just a little over $4 million. We put money in contingency fund, so that if we want to make changes to that project on the street side, we can do that.”

He said, for example, on West Jeanette Street, where they are planning on putting a hot mix asphalt pavement, they could now decide to put concrete pavement, if they choose.

“We have the ability to do that,” he said. “We have the ability to make some changes like that and make it a little better project.”

He said although TEC Excavation Inc. is the contractor for the project, much of the work will be done by Raydon Inc. a local construction company.

Work on the project, which is being funded by USDA Rural Development, covers water, sewer, drainage, streets and curb construction on North Parks and West Lindsey streets near Breckenridge High School. He said the work on North Parks Street will run from Walker Street to West Seventh Street, and on West Lindsey Street from Parks Street to Rose Street.

Paving on some other sections of streets in the area will also be covered under the project. They include West Jeannette Street from North Live Oak Street to North Parks Street, North Live Oak Street from West Dyer Street and to West Jeannette Street and West Dyer from North Live Oak to North Parks Street. Those streets will be paved with hot mix asphalt.

McCuistion said the total cost of the project is $5.4 million and will be paid for with a loan from USDA Rural Development. He said $4.2 million of that cost is for the street and drainage work and $1.2 million is for water and sewer work

He the city was able to get $358,000 in grants to help pay for the water and sewer work so the city only has to pay back $846,000 of the $1.2 million for that work.

Construction on the project is expected to begin around June 1 and take between a year and a year and half to complete.

Oncor steering committee

Commissioners also voted Tuesday night to continue participating with the Steering Committee of Cities served by Oncor and authorize the payment of $645.48 to the group based on a rate of 11 cents per capita to the Steering Committee to fund regulatory and legal proceedings and activities related to Oncor Electric Deliver Company, LLC.

McCuistion said in his memo to commissioners that there are 162 cities that participate in the coalition of cities that are all served by Oncor for electric service. He told commissioners the group works as an advocate for those cities

As an example of why he felt being part of the group was important, McCuistion said Oncor was recently sold and is now asking for an expedited rate review. He said they are asking for $19 million increase in rates. He said the collation will be analyzing the request to determine if the $19 million is a legitimate number or if there is any reason it should be changed.

“They work as our advocate on those kind of issues,” he said.

Breckenridge Mayor Jimmy McKay told commissioners that through the years, since that the city has been working with the group, it has been very beneficial to the City of Breckenridge.

“We’re a small member of this deal, but it does increase their numbers and increase their power. It has been very beneficial to be part of the organization,” he said.

By Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan

Cutline, top photo: Sage Diller, an engineer with Enprotec/Hibbs and Todd,  discusses the bid for the Parks Street Paving and Drainage Improvement Project with City Commissioners during their meeting Tuesday night. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

The cracked and patched pavement on West Lindsey Street can be seen as a car drives west near intersection of North Live Oak Street. The pavement will be replaced as part of the Parks Street Paving and Drainage Improvement Project. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)