The Malabar Road Pipe Repair is a pilot project to seal and add structural reinforcement to the existing dual 72” reinforced concrete pipes and box structures as well as to stabilize the subsurface soil condition beneath Malabar Road. Based on a physical inspection of the drainage pipes and boxes, the existing drainage system was not properly sealed allowing water seepage into the pipes and boxes and creating voids in the compacted soil to become less dense. These subface voids have caused settling of the road base material, the uneven pavement surface and pavement sink holes along Malabar Road.  

The proposed pilot project is a new economical approach in repairing large diameter pipes by spin casting concrete or a geopolymer to line the entire pipe and boxes with a continuous waterproof seal to create a “pipe within a pipe”. This type of construction requires minimal lane closures to perform the spin cast operation within the existing pipes. The second component would be the grout injection of a high-density polyurethane into the subsurface area of the pipes and boxes to densify the soil and fill in any voids.

The limits of the pilot project include the intersection of Malabar Road at Emerson Drive and then extending 540 feet to the east and 450 feet to the west. The total length of the pilot project is approximately 990 linear feet. The length of the dual 72” pipe system to be repaired is 3,750 linear feet. As part of the close-out of the pilot project, the entire sealed pipes will be re-inspected after ten months to ensure no leakage. Once the existing pipes are proven to be water-tight and the soil condition stabilized with no signs of settlement, this section of Malabar Road will be placed on the road paving schedule.

Six (6) bids were received. The Procurement Department staff reviewed the bids for responsiveness as well as checked the references of the lowest bidder, and asked for additional qualification submittals as requested by the City Engineer, to include a Quality Assurance Plan, sampling and testing procedures, and quality control information on the material specifications.  Public Works Department evaluated the bids for responsibility and ability to perform the scope of services. The Department found the lowest responsive bid to be acceptable.

The City’s Engineers Estimate for the original project was estimated at $500,000 to cover the project limit of 500 linear feet. During the design phase, the project was expanded to cover the worst section of Malabar Road which extended the limit to 990 linear feet. At that time, the project budget was already set, so staff moved forward with the expanded project limit and noted that the bids will be much higher. Staff did confirm that additional funds were available from project savings to cover the higher cost. The lowest bid is $1,151,152.40. Public Works Engineering staff has reviewed the low bidder’s Summary of Pay Items, proposed Subcontractors, Equipment List, References and additional Qualification Submittals, and is satisfied with the evidence provided by the contractor. Staff recommends Insituform Technologies, out of Chesterfield, MO for award of IFB #05-0-2021 – Malabar Road Pipe Repair.

Local Preference was not applied, as the bids exceeded one million dollars. Note that the corporate headquarters is in Missouri, but Insituform has multiple locations in Florida.