Sandy Springs City Council awarded a $285,439 contract to GS Construction of Norcross for a drainage improvement project along High Point Road during its March 18 meeting.
Public Works Director Marty Martin said the city engaged a consultant in 2023 to develop plans to fix problems in the stormwater system under High Point Road near 5030 High Point Road, 5042 High Point Road, and 5055 High Point Road, as well as 1010 Highpoint Walk.
Martin said the existing corrugated metal pipe had significant deterioration. It will be replaced with reinforced concrete pipe.
The contractor will replace two double-wing catch basins, and install two concrete headwalls associated with the concrete pipe and storm drainage system underneath the roadway, Martin said. GS Construction will regrade the shoulder, slope the embankments, and restore the roadway after the construction work.
Council member Melissa Mular asked why the submitted bids were much higher than the engineer’s estimate of $215,000.
Martin said it’s a challenging place to work and will require traffic control. Work will cross the roadway, which will require the closure of a portion of the road. They also will work on adjacent properties, another reason for higher costs.
“I think maybe we didn’t have the best estimate to start things off here,” Martin said.
GS Construction has worked for the city, giving good prices for work and showing its competence, Martin said.
Qualified bids ranged from GS Construction at $285,439 to Site Engineering’s $535,790 bid.
The council also approved a $103,950 bid by United Land Services of Chamblee to mow along GA 400 and I-285, which is done twice a month during the mowing season from April to October.
Martin told the city council that the contract was brought to them because though it was a low enough bid for City Manager Eden Freeman to approve, it spans multiple fiscal years, as the mowing season starts in April and the city’s fiscal year begins in June.
The city entered into a right-of-way maintenance agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation because the state agency wasn’t mowing as frequently as the city preferred.
