A $667,000 sewer-lining project aimed at extending the life of Fridley’s sanitary sewer system moved forward Dec. 8 as the City Council unanimously approved a bid for work scheduled to begin in 2026.
Assistant City Engineer Brandon Brodhag said bids were opened Dec. 4, with Visu-Sewer Inc. of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, submitting the lowest bid at about $667,000, out of the five received. The project will be awarded with a 5% contingency.
The project is budgeted in the city’s Capital Investment Program and includes trenchless rehabilitation of 19,300 lineal feet of existing sanitary sewer mains in the Melody Manor neighborhood, Brodhag said. The work is divided into two schedules to improve unit pricing and coordinate with future street rehabilitation projects.
Schedule A is set for completion on or before July 31, 2026, while Schedule B is scheduled for completion on or before July 31, 2027, Brodhag said. The project will use cured-in-place pipe lining, which he described as a proactive, cost-effective way to address inflow and infiltration in the city’s sewer system.
Streets included under Schedule A are Fourth, Fifth, Symphony, Van Buren and Able streets along with 74th 75th, 76th avenues.
Schedule B includes Madison Street, Lyric Lane, Tempo Terrace, Melody Drive, Concerto Curve and Memory Lane.
Project work includes removing roots and debris from existing sewer lines in preparation for liner installation. The liner will be inverted from surface manholes to match the shape of the existing pipe, Brodhag said.
Two curing methods will be used depending on conditions: steam and circulated heated water.
Water and sewer service for adjacent properties will be restricted during liner installation, Brodhag said. Affected properties will receive 24-hour notice. A robotic cutter will be used to reinstate service connections from inside the sewer main.
Advertisement for bids was published Nov. 12, and bid letting occurred Dec. 4. Visu-Sewer was the lowest of five bidders. One bid was rejected for failing to meet prequalification requirements.
The city’s proposed 2026–30 Capital Investment Program identifies $1.25 million for construction of the project, Brodhag said. Staff is also evaluating additional work to maximize improvements to the sanitary sewer system, including additional liner installation, manhole lining and top-hat liners. That work could be completed either as part of the current project or under a separate contract.
Contract documents are expected to be finalized in December and January, with construction beginning as early as January or February, Brodhag said.
Council Member Ann Bolkcom asked how many projects were involved. Brodhag said the work includes lining sewer mains in at least two areas of the Melody Manor neighborhood in 2026 and 2027. Because bids came in favorably, staff has more than $500,000 available for potential additional improvements.
“Whether we work with the contractor that would be a part of the bidded project, or if we would look outside of the contract for the additional work, we do have some flexibility of doing more than what we initially slated for when the project was bid,” Brodhag said.
He said staff may pursue additional main lining, manhole lining or other service improvements, noting some manhole structures are cracked.
On the low bid price, Brodhag said the lowest and second-lowest bids were within $5,000 of each other, while the highest bid was $1.1 million. He said the two-season timeline and the quantity of work contributed to competitive pricing, adding that the city has worked successfully with both Visu-Sewer and the second-lowest bidder in the past.
Council Member Patrick Vescio asked about the 24-hour notice period for service interruptions. Brodhag said construction schedules often change day to day.
“So if we start notifying people too far in advance, whether it’s 48 hours or longer, things might change in between that time,” Brodhag said. “Whether it’s staff or it’s the contractor handing out these door hangers, we don’t want to give false information.”
Vescio asked whether weather could affect the project. Brodhag said the work can proceed in rain, but temperatures below zero would prevent installation.
Council Member Ryan Evanson asked about the contingency and the risk of cost overruns.
“The reason why I’m asking, and excuse me for being a little cynical, if I were a contractor, and I saw that the city was preparing something they thought was going to cost significantly more than it is,” Evanson said, “…why not find some reason to use more of that contingency and say it should be higher than 5%?”
Brodhag said the contingency would be used only for small change orders approved by the council and that contractors are not informed of the contingency amount.