Marble Falls may save money on Manzano Mile
The news came at a special council meeting, where officials awarded bids for the new Manzano Mile and water/wastewater pipes along Cedar Ridge Drive. Both projects will be funded by $10 million in certificate of obligation bonds issued by the city earlier this year, officials said. A 14.5-cent tax increase approved by the council last week will pay back the debt.
City Engineer Greg Haley said his office received seven bids for the Manzano Mile project, which he estimated would cost $8.7 million to complete.
“There was a pretty good scattering of bids with a pretty wide range,” Haley told the council. “It just worked our so we opened the envelope with the lower bids and worked out way up.”
Austin-based Ross Construction Inc. was the lowest bidder at $7.4 million — $1.3 million cheaper than initial city estimates and $9 million cheaper than the highest bid. The firm previously worked with the city on the Mormon Mill Road Phase II project. The new road, which will run north from RR 1431 to the site of the new Colt Elementary School, will be named for former Marble Falls High School track standout Leonel Manzano, who competed in the 1,500-meter race at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The new road will provide parents and students another way to get to Colt and Marble Falls High School, officials said. The location was selected after Marble Falls Independent School District trustees chose a site north of the current high school as the new Colt location. Voters in 2006 approved a $62.3 million bond issue that paved the way for the new school’s construction.
City Manager Judy Miller said the Manzano Mile should be open to traffic next fall in time for the start of classes at Colt.
In other action, the council approved a $626,000 bid for water and wastewater line improvements on Cedar Ridge Drive, which Miller said will provide utilities to the new school site.
“That project should be done first,” she said.
JO’B Site Construction of Round Rock was the lowest bidder for the project, coming in about $60,000 below Haley’s original estimate.
The next council meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13 in council chambers, 800 Third St.
chris@thepicayune.com