Peru levee repairs underway after an act of Congress
Hamburg company bid $11 M below government estimate
NEBRASKA CITY – The repair of the farm levee at Peru is underway more than six years after Congress passed a special resolution to authorize public disaster funds for the inactive levee that protects 7,000 acres in the Peru bottom.
Hendrickson Transportation of Hamburg submitted the low bid of nearly $44 million, which is $19 million below the highest bidder and $11 million below the government estimate.
The bids includes $2.6 million for underwater fill of two of the eight breaches from the 2019 flood.
Other costs estimated include $4.6 million to resist berm seepage, $5.7 million for compact embankment and $2.4 million for drainage structures. Rip rap is estimated to cost $5.7 million.
Hendrickson Transportation has also agreed to make sure any county roads used in the construction will be returned to their pre-construction conditions or better.
U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, a member of the Senate’s Appropriations Committee, said the community of Peru benefits from the federal project.
US Army Corps of Engineers photo taken from Mike Glasch video
Fischer: “After years of work, the levee repairs will help protect lives, property and most importantly, ensure the Peru community is better prepared for future flooding.”
The contractor is given 547 calendar days after notice to proceed to complete the work.