Yuma Sun

Council awards $2 million contract for road paving

Firm to rebuild ave 3½E segment, now in poor condition

- BY MARA KNAUB sun STAFF WRITER

A Yuma road in poor condition will soon be reconstruc­ted.

The Yuma City Council on Wednesday awarded the $2.06 million constructi­on contract for paving of Avenue 3½E, between 32nd Street and 40th Street, to Gutierrez Canales Engineerin­g of Yuma.

Staff noted that roadwork will “improve safety and traffic operations efficiency” on this industrial corridor. The city’s pavement management system classified this segment of the road as being in “poor” shape and gave it a Pavement Condition Index rating of 20.

A PCI rating below 55 generally indicates a need for reconstruc­tion or other extensive rehabilita­tion and is achieved when pavement distress includes severe block or alligator cracking, significan­t raveling and/or subgrade failure, explained a staff report.

The rehabilita­tion project will reconstruc­t the existing pavement section to current city standards and will include improvemen­ts to sidewalk ramps to make them compliant with the Americans with Disabiliti­es Act.

The road provides access to packing plants and various businesses, however, staff noted that they have alternate access through side streets that can be used during constructi­on.

The project is expected to start in mid-may and finish in mid-october. Work has been scheduled to avoid harvest season when the packing plants are at peak operations. All business access will be maintained during constructi­on.

The city received two bids for this project, with Gutierrez Canales Engineerin­g coming in the lowest.

Mayor Doug Nicholls recused himself from taking action on this consent agenda item, citing a conflict involving his firm.

After the mayor left the dais, the council voted 6-0 to award the constructi­on contract to Gutierrez Canales.

The council also awarded a bid for the sale of property on the southeast corner of Avenue A and 4th Street to UBLA Properties in the amount of $128,000.

Staff noted that the sale of the property creates infill developmen­t for a private project, converts unused parcels to a productive use and generates revenue for the city as well as property tax revenue for the city, school districts and other taxing entities.

UBLA Properties intends to develop the 31,912-square-foot parcel as a single-family residentia­l subdivisio­n. This requires going through the subdivisio­n process to create single-family residentia­l lots prior to the developmen­t of the site. Any other use would involve a minor general plan amendment and rezoning, staff reported.

A General Plan Conformity Report prepared for the parcel confirms the proposed use is in conformanc­e with the city’s general plan.

The city received two bids for the sale, with UBLA Properties submitting the highest offer.

For this consent agenda item, Deputy Mayor Chris Morris recused himself, citing a conflict involving his firm.

After he left the dais, the council voted 6-0 to accept the sale bid to UBLA Properties.

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