Contract Awarded for Miles Avenue Bridge Project
The Miles Avenue Bridge over the Whitewater River in Indio is a giant step closer to reality today after the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved a low bid of $9,529,898 for its construction.
Completion of the Miles Avenue bridge removes one of the primary flooding trouble spots in the Valley's transportation infrastructure.
Lowest responsible bidder amongst seven bids submitted was Skanska USA Civil West, and the County Transportation Director George Johnson says that's $2,427,590 less than the Engineer's estimate.
The project will entail the bridge itself and the reconstruction and widening of Miles Avenue 700 feet west of the bridge to Madison Street on the east side of the Whitewater River.
In order to construct the project at the lowest cost and minimize the construction time frame, Miles Avenue will be closed during construction. Construction of this project is anticipated to start in late February and last approximately one year.
Incidentally, the bridge project is only about half the total transportation improvements being planned for the Miles Avenue/Clinton Street corridor. Future plans are to improve Miles east to Clinton, and Clinton Street itself north of Miles.
The Coachella Valley Association of Governments is funding 75 percent of the total project, with the remainder being paid by the County of Riverside and the City of Indio.
Riverside County's share of the $9,529,898 bridge project and the future Miles Avenue/Clinton Street corridor is $2,750,000, to be paid in $275,000 annual payments to CVAG.