24-8265_Exhibit_L-16_-_Utilities_Clear_16th_St_Ne_Bridge_dm.pdf

This is a Utilities Clear certification document from Collier County, Florida, certifying project readiness for the 16th Street NE Bridge Project (LAP), a comprehensive roadway and bridge construction initiative. The project involves constructing a new 147-foot, 50-foot-5-inch-wide bridge over the Golden Gate Main Canal and widening approximately 3.3 miles of roadway from Golden Gate Boulevard to Randall Boulevard. The proposed improvements include two 12-foot travel lanes with 6-foot shoulders on the bridge, an 11-foot travel lane with 6-foot shoulders along the widened roadway, and a 6-foot sidewalk on the west side. Additional work includes minor drainage modifications to existing roadside swales, installation of new concrete driveways to the existing right-of-way, and associated utility coordination. Sealed bids for Bid No. 24-8265 were due November 20, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. local time, with a non-mandatory pre-bid meeting held on October 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in Naples, Florida. Prospective bidders were required to register on the county's procurement portal and obtain complete project documents electronically. Contractors must achieve substantial completion within 520 consecutive calendar days with final completion within 30 calendar days after punch list delivery, subject to liquidated damages of $7,442 per calendar day for non-compliance.

The project is funded through federal highway administration grants under the Local Agency Program (LAP) with a total budget of approximately $26,361,418. Prospective bidders must be pre-qualified by the Florida Department of Transportation in specific work classes including minor bridges, pavement marking, roadway signing, traffic signals, and sidewalk work, and must submit a 5% bid bond with their proposal. The project includes a disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) goal of 10.54%. Contractors must comply with federal regulations including Davis-Bacon wage requirements, Buy America provisions, and equal employment opportunity standards. Environmental compliance requirements include mitigation for 2.35 acres of wetland impacts through credits from the Panther Island Mitigation Bank Expansion and coordination with wildlife conservation authorities to protect endangered species including the Florida black bear, gopher tortoise, and eastern indigo snake. The Utilities Clear certification, dated April 9, 2024, confirms that all utility work has been completed or necessary arrangements have been made to undertake and complete the project as required for proper coordination with the physical construction schedule.