Green light for Greensferry
<p>The Greensferry Road overpass project in Post Falls reached a milestone Thursday with Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction of Draper, Utah, being awarded the construction contract with a total project cost of $14.7 million. From left are: Joe Sonnen, JUB Engineers; Terry Werner, Post Falls public services director; Bill Melvin, Post Falls engineer; Jerry Baltzell, Urban Renewal Agency commissioner; Mayor Ron Jacobson; Shelly Enderud, Post Falls administrator; Tom Lien, URA executive director; and Mike Worrall, JUB Engineers.</p>
POST FALLS - One step closer to construction.
The Greensferry Road overpass project reached another milestone Thursday when the Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency awarded the construction contract to Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction of Draper, Utah.
The design for the project, which will cost a total of $14.7 million, was also approved.
"The cost was favorable to what we thought it would be," said URA Executive Director Tom Lien, adding that the original estimate was $17 million to $19 million.
The project between the Highway 41 interchange and the Seltice Way exit is intended to ease congestion off Highway 41 and Idaho Street, create economic development and improve emergency response.
"This (contract award) is huge for Post Falls because it has been on the minds of people for 20 years," said Jerry Baltzell, URA commissioner. "Hopefully we'll be able to walk across this overpass in 18 to 24 months."
Right of way on both sides of the freeway will now need to be acquired and utilities relocated. Construction of the structure is expected to start late fall or winter.
Mike Worrall of JUB Engineers said the cost was less then anticipated because the structure will be shifted slightly to the west, which will reduce right of way costs.
Worrall said the business complex south of Interstate 90 on Schneidmiller Avenue on the west side of Greensferry - occupied by Financial Strategies and the Donna Schau dentistry - will be purchased to make room for the project, along with a home just south of the businesses.
"We required the builder to follow federal acquisition rules to look out for the interest of the landowners," Worrall said.
"They will be compensated for their relocation costs based on fair market value."
Worrall said "strips" of right of way will also need to be purchased on the east side of Greensferry on the south side of the freeway at Pawn 1 and on both sides of Greensferry north of the interstate. Those purchases won't require businesses to move.
A one-way lane along the overpass approach south of the freeway will be constructed to access businesses on east side of Greensferry. There will no longer be direct access from Schneidmiller onto Greensferry as Schneidmiller will go under the overpass approach.
The overpass will be four lanes wide with 6-foot bicycle/pedestrian paths on both sides.
The other construction bid was received from Max J. Kuney Co. of Spokane, which submitted a proposal about $500,000 more costly than Ralph L. Wadsworth's.
Ralph L. Wadsworth constructed the freeway interchange near Cabela's, while Max J. Kuney is rebuilding Avista Utilities' South Channel Dam at Post Falls.
Worrall said price was only one factor in the selection process, which also included length of schedule, design and a technical evaluation.
With the less-than-anticipated cost for the overpass project, Lien said the extension of Spencer Street from Second Avenue to Seltice Way is expected to happen around the same time.
Spencer is just east of Greensferry, so Lien believes there can be cost savings with a construction zone already staged in the area.
Both projects are in the East Post Falls Urban Renewal District.