Nampa contractor awarded bid on East Galloway Street project

Heavy equipment tearing up sidewalks signaled the start last week on a construction project that will smooth, repave and add curbs, gutters and sidewalks along both sides of East Galloway Street from State Street to East 6th St.
 The main contractor on the job is Thueson Construction of Nampa. The company was awarded a contract of $805,000 to do the work based on a revised bid. The first bid came in over $920,000, which is more than the city had budgeted.
 The city and project engineer Keller Associates trimmed back the scope of the project and received a bid that was about $124,000 lower. City crews will do some work on the street, including the installation of storm drains, signage and landscaping.
 “There are a few things we are doing in-house so we have enough to do sidewalks,” city street supervisor Pat Malay said.
 City officials said the improvements to East Galloway Street are needed for a few reasons. The street has dips and bumps due to a waterline replacement project that need to be smoothed out. Pedestrian enhancements in the form of a sidewalk on the north side of East Galloway will make it a safer street for people walking.
 The state will administer the grant and oversee the project through the Local Highway Transportation Council, also known as LHTAC. The state required that the project be bid out and awarded to a contractor with a public works license. The city cannot do the work and pay itself.
 The contractor will be substantially finished by Aug. 16 and final cleanup will happen in early September. The work was scheduled during summer vacation at Weiser Middle School, which is located on East Galloway Street.
 The city of Weiser received a $880,000 state grant for the project through the competitive 2019 Local Strategic Initiatives Program. City officials said the nice thing about the grant is there is no matching money required from the city.
 There were 92 applications from cities and local governments requesting over $69 million in state funds. A total of 29 projects were approved at a cost of $24 million, including the city’s application. LHTAC has notified the city in the form of an award letter that the funds will be issued shortly.
 The Idaho Legislature approved the Strategic Initiatives Program a couple of years ago to be administered by the Idaho Department of Transportation. The purpose of the program is to fund select transportation projects that are proposed by ITD’s six districts and local units of government.
 With Ridley’s building a new store on East 6th Street and the potential for more commercial growth in the area, city officials think that Galloway Street will get busier in the future.     
 The East Galloway Street project will make the street smoother for vehicles and safer for pedestrians to walk to Ridley’s or Bi-Mart.
 Representatives from Keller Associates, the firm that designed the street project, and city officials met with local residents at an open house at the Vendome in June.