Favorable bids will pare cost of Wilson Street project

The Fredonia Village Board last week approved a bid for the North Wilson Street reconstruction project that is 5.6% less than village estimates.

Mueller Excavating had the lowest of six bids received, offering to complete the reconstruction for $361,502.

Trustees also approved a Mueller bid of $94,825 to repair sanitary laterals on the street. It was also the lowest of six bids for that work.

The Village Board also accepted a bid from Visu-Sewer to line sanitary main lines for $39,790, 38% less than estimated.

Visu-Sewer has completed all the sewer lining work within the village so far, village Public Works Director Roger Strohm said.

With bids in hand, reconstruction of North Wilson Street and the installation of a new sidewalk there will likely begin this summer and be finished in fall.

The project parameters include rebuilding North Wilson Street from Fredonia Avenue to Martin Drive and installing new sewer and water mains, new sewer laterals and a sidewalk on the east side of the street.

Mailboxes will be placed on the east side of the street.

Property owners will be assessed for the laterals, which connect homes to the village sewer main, and be given the option of paying in a lump sum or over five years with their property taxes.

The village and property owners will split the cost of the sidewalk, which is expected to be about $22,000. Property owners can either pay their share in one payment or over five years.

Strohm said property owners will be notified once the exact assessment amounts are known.

The sidewalk plan was authored by the Village Board in 2019 as a way to fill in gaps in village sidewalks and make them more walkable, especially for schoolchildren.

To help reduce costs, trustees gave priority to areas where street repairs are scheduled.

Under the plan, the village and homeowners split the cost of installing sidewalks in front of existing homes while developers pay the entire cost in new subdivisions.

The village also bears the entire cost of installing sidewalks and ramps in right-of-ways and along parcels owned by the village, such as parks.