Thursday will mark the bid opening date for Mora’s Highway 65 left turn lane project at 9th Street.
The local-led project is a collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to provide safer access near the new Mora High School.
According to city engineer Greg Anderson, MnDOT has expanded its financial share of the project as it has increased its scope.
"It's a little longer of a turn lane, so now the work has gone south of Industrial Road, where we thought we could do it from Industrial Road to just past 9th Street," Anderson said. "The project expanded, and MnDOT expanded their share to a cap of $400,000."
The estimated total cost of construction is $450,000.
According to MnDOT's master agreement, about $370,000 of that cap would go toward construction, with $29,000 toward inspection. The city will be in charge of handling the inspection.
"I pushed back and said, 'well, you've expanded the project and the city wasn't really anticipating this,'" Anderson said. "I wouldn't say it was a hard no, but it was a firm no that $400,000 is their number."
Anderson said he anticipates competitive bidding for the project. The target completion for the project — and the Highway 65 bike trail extension — is late October or early November.
The council agreed to set a special meeting on Monday, July 31 at 5:15 p.m. to go over bids.
Mora's budget committee will discuss where city funds for the construction project would come from at their next meeting.
