The City of Morro Bay has embarked on a path to identify and quantify issues with its infrastructure and is out now for bids to find a firm to do a study that will guide future infrastructure projects.
“Morro Bay,” reads the notice for bids issued June 9, “is requesting a proposal from qualified firms, consultants, or individuals to submit written proposals to collect, analyze and manage objective data that the City can use in making decisions regarding capital planning, budget forecasting and investment strategies related to the maintenance, repair and replacement of all City-owned structures, facilities, and park assets.”
The notice by City Engineer, Eric Riddiough, has a hard and fast deadline of 4 p.m. Thursday, July 6 for proposals to be turned in at City Hall.
From there City staff will review the proposals that will include a “not-to-exceed” cost for the basic RFP and any addendums that the City might issue, and puts it entirely on the bidders to know if any changes or additions had been made to the scope of work and adjust their bids accordingly.
The task is potentially monumental, as the City has long been falling behind in some of the infrastructure needs in the community, which were exasperated over this past winter when numerous big storms caused flooding and wide-spread damage to City facilities as well as private properties. One pressing need was recently fixed when the City extended a contract with Papich Const., to rebuild Preston Lane, which was damaged in January when Morro Creek washed over its banks and flooded the area of the 1600-1700 blocks of Main Street. Papich was doing the City’s regular street maintenance work and the City hired them to also fix Preston Lane and South bay Boulevard.
The flooding caused damage to businesses and homes in the area of Preston Lane leaving a muddy, potholed mess. The problem in part was due to the roadway not being built properly in the first place.
Unfortunately, Morro Bay has many streets that don’t have proper road base, as in the old days, the County used whatever materials were plentiful, and in some cases, abalone shells, which in the heyday of Morro Bay’s abalone fishery, were plentiful.
