Albion accepts bid for bridge demo

Photo by Tom Rivers – Tearing out the Clarendon Street bridge over the railroad tracks will require the removal of embankments that reach 11 feet high. This file photo is the view looking north past Crimson Drive.

ALBION – The Village Board accepted a $442,639 bid from Keeler Construction in Barre to tear out a village-owned bridge, a project that could start in March and be complete in the summer.

Keeler’s bid was about $300,000 less than the next closest proposal. There were six bidders on the project with the highest bid at $1,130,089.

“That’s amazing,” said Village Trustee Eileen Banker.

Keeler is a home-town contractor, and the low bid reflects the company wanted to work on a project in the local community, said Dale Brooks, Albion DPW superintendent.

Kevin Miller, project manager and an engineer from Bergmann Associates in Buffalo, reviewed the bids and recommended Albion accept Keeler’s proposal. Miller had projected the project would cost about $700,000.

The village is paying 5 percent of the overall project costs, while the state pays 15 percent and the federal government 80 percent.

Besides removing the 50-year-old bridge, the highway embankments will be lowered and the street will be blocked off at a 90-degree angle at Crimson Drive. On the north side, it will also be blocked off with a turnaround spot near Childs Street.

The Village Board may pursue at at-grade crossing for the site in the future.