Council Awards $6.35M Contract for New Los Alamos/I-15 Overpass

A contract for the construction of a wider, taller freeway overcrossing at Los Alamos Road and Interstate 15 was unanimously approved Tuesday by Murrieta City Council.

San Diego-based Coffman Specialities, Inc.—which has completed projects such as carpool lanes and accompanying bridges on Interstates 5 and 15 in San Diego County—was awarded a $6.35-million contract for the work that could begin as early as mid-June.

Of the nine companies that submitted bids, Acting City Engineer Bob Moehling told Council all were within 20 percent of the lowest responsive bidder, Coffman.

“This was an excellent group of bidders,” Moehling said.

The eight other companies that sought the work—and their respective bids—were: MCM Construction, Inc. at $6.44 million; Flatiron West, Inc. at $6.59 million; Skanska USA at $6.81 million; Granite Construction, $6.85 million; Ortiz Enterprises, Inc. at $6.99 million; Griffith Construction, $7.14 million; Riverside Construction Company, $7.32 million; and USS CAL Builders at $7.78 million.

The project consists of replacing the current two-lane bridge with a four-lane overcrossing that meets Caltrans' height requirements, according to Moehling.

At the direction of City Council, plans are to keep one lane of travel open in each direction during construction. The route was deemed necessary not only for motorists, but for public safety use by Murrieta police and fire vehicles.

This will be accomplished, Moehling said, by construction of new outer lanes while keeping the current bridge in place. Once the outer lanes can accommodate traffic, Moehling said, the old bridge will be torn down.

The project does not include freeway on- and off-ramps.

Some nighttime closures of Interstate 15 at Los Alamos Road can be expected during the project that is scheduled for an August 2014 completion, Moehling said.

“The target is the end of next summer,” Moehling said.

Once completed, there will be four lanes of travel between the intersections at Los Alamos Road and Jefferson Avenue and Los Alamos and Whitewood roads.

Funding has been allocated through Proposition 1B, the Riverside County Transportation Commission, and freeway developer impact fees.