ASHLAND - The borough council opened two bids for the third phase of the borough's streetscape project at Wednesday's meeting.
Heim Construction Co. LLC, submitted the lowest bid at $187,575.
Robert Weir of Entech Engineering read the bids to the council.
The council opened five bids for the project at its May meeting, but all were rejected at the June meeting at the recommendation of Entech project engineer Donald M. Cuff.
Borough Manager Thomas W. Joyce said after the June meeting that in order for the borough to receive the PennDOT permit, some of the bid specifications need to be changed in order to meet new requirements, particularly involving accessibility to the handicapped.
The project will be funded through a Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Grant of $250,000. In addition to construction fees, the grant will also pay for legal and engineering fees, audit fees at the end of the project and any other related costs.
The project includes both sides of the 400 and 500 blocks of Centre Street and involves replacing sidewalks and curb cuts (for the handicapped) and removing two trees, similar to the work done on the 200 and 300 blocks of Centre Street.
The council accepted the low bid conditionally after review by Entech and borough solicitor James Diehl. After the bid review, the project will start as soon as possible, official said.
In another street matter, the council gave permission to Joyce to begin the process for the 2012 road program. The tentative plan is to pave Walnut Street from 15th to 18th streets or Walnut Street from 22nd to 24th streets.
"In the uptown area (22nd to 24th streets), we probably won't have to mill, but at the downtown area, we would have to mill on the north side because the curb is low," Joyce said, adding the milling would add to the project costs. The amount of money available is limited this year for road projects, he added.