Final hurdle for Bridge Street work

BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Work widening a mile-and-a-half stretch of Bridge Street took another step forward June 6 as City Councilors approved a $19.5 million budget for the project.

“ is is a big deal for this community, connecting a large swath of Brighton that has not been connected before,” City Manager Michael Martinez said. Work on the widening is scheduled to start soon this summer. Plans call for widening the road between 22nd and 42nd avenues, a project that will last at least two years. Councilors gave the project preliminary approval in April, allowing them to begin taking bids to do the work. e nal bid went to Brannon Sand and Gravel as general contractors for $19.5 million.

Assistant Public Works Director Chris Montoya said the project was initially budgeted for $21 million but the city removed plans for water lines from the project.

“ at’s the way we like to do it, one contractor who is accountable who can coordinate with all the other sub-contractors,” Montoya said. “It’s the most e cient process for capital projects like this.” e council’s approval lets the city and contractors begin pre-construction meetings right away, Montoya said.

“We can begin construction right af- ter the Fourth of July holiday,” he said. “We should see construction out there relatively soon.” e work includes a complete sidewalk along the southern side of the road but not along the northern side. e city does not have the rights-ofway from property owners along the way that would allow them to do that work.

According to city sta , the project will be massive, using 35 million pounds of asphalt, and 13,000 feet of storm pipe. Plans call for adding four new tra c lights and one small bridge structure. It should take 590 working days.

Montoya said the work will require sta to close lanes during the work but that tra c will remain open during the construction.

“Most tra c plans we have now will have some type of (lane) delineation and I anticipate having reduced speeds as well in this location to ensure additional safety,” he said. “It helps the crews and the workers.” e current plan calls for working on the south side rst.

“We intend to always leave at least a single lane of tra c open in each direction,” he said. “But we have certain tra c plans that will be necessary to do certain kinds of work and we will always be focused on safety. We don’t want to have major open excavations while tra c driving by, but we will make those decisions as they submit plans.”