With the District of Houston council approving of a final budget for this year’s planned work to improve the downtown area, its consulting and engineering firm has now started looking for a qualified contractor.
Companies interested in the project have until Feb. 24 to explain and give reasons why they are qualified to undertake the work. Once a list of qualified contractors is determine, bid will then be entertained.
“Failure to make a submission will prevent an prospective contractor for this project from any further participation in this procurement process,” states Urban Systems, the firm which has designed and engineered the project on behalf of the District.
Based on the proposed project schedule, tenders will be welcomed in early March leading to a planned start in May and completion in October.
A broad outline of the work to be done is included in the call for qualified contractors reveals both the extensive nature of renewing civic infrastructure and street-level beautification that’s going to take place:
- installation of approximately 275 metres of 200 mm watermain.
- extension of the watermain through intersections
- tieing in existing businesses to new water services
- replacing fire hydrants
- installing a stormwater system including catch basins, storm main and manholes
- doing sanitary sewer repairs
- partial removal, disposal and replacement of existing street lighting with ornamental lighting
- removal, disposal and replacement of roadways, sidewalks and landscape features through two city blocks
- sidewalk installation along Hwy16.
The project will be one of the more visible capital works projects to be undertaken by the District of Houston reflecting both the need to replace ageing civic infrastructure and creating a downtown core that’s conducive to economic development as an attractive location for both locals and tourists.