OCEAN CITY — Bids were opened this week for the contract to replace the aging wooden cart path bridges at the municipal Eagle’s Landing golf course, displaying a wide range of options for the town.
Last year, it was learned many of the cart bridges at the 30-year-old Eagle’s Landing course are in disrepair and need replacing with an estimated project cost of $230,000. Replacing the bridges was included in the town’s capital improvement plan (CIP) last year and was given a “very important” rating in the Mayor and Council’s priority grading system.
During Tuesday’s work session, bids were opened for the labor and equipment elements of the cart bridge replacement project.
City Engineer Terry McGean said the overall project estimate was originally $230,000, but the materials part of the project was bid out separately. McGean said the estimate for the labor and equipment portion was around $180,000. As a result, the bids for the labor and equipment elements of the project were opened on Tuesday, showing a wide range of potential price tags.
For example, of the five bids opened on Tuesday, the highest came in at over $377,000, while the lowest bid came in at just around $88,000. There were also bids at $245,000, $136,000 and $116,000.
Those bids reflect the estimates for replacing the cart bridges at Eagle’s Landing at holes four, seven, eight, nine, 16, 17 and 18A. There was also an alternative bid out to replace the bridges at holes 10, 11 and 18B. Each of the submitted bids included estimates for doing the other three bridges above the base bids.
The highest bid for the alternate to do the other three bridges was over $75,000, while the lowest came in at around $11,000. After opening the bids, the council voted to remand them to staff for further review and come back with a recommendation to the council.
When asked why the bids for the materials had been separated from the labor and equipment bid, McGean explained the town can save considerable money purchasing the lumber needed for the project directly, similar to purchasing the lumber for Boardwalk projects. McGean also said the project would begin in January because the course will have to be closed.
