Columbus Council Weighs $12.6M Blueprint Contract for Miller Kelton Pavers and Waterlines
The $12.6 million infrastructure contract would install permeable pavement, storm sewers and new waterlines to mitigate sewer overflows into Alum Creek.
The Columbus City Council is scheduled to hold a second reading and consider approval Monday of a $12.6 million construction contract with Plain City-based Danbert, Inc. to install permeable pavers and replace aging waterlines on the city's Near East Side, according to council records.
Ordinance 2313-2026, which received its first reading on Sept. 28, authorizes the director of Columbus Water and Power to award up to $12,600,862.73 to Danbert, Inc. for the Blueprint Miller Kelton – Kent/Fairwood Permeable Pavers and Kent/Fairwood Waterline Improvements project. The measure also sets aside $2,000 from the Sanitary Bond Fund for prevailing wage services through the Department of Public Service, bringing total authorized spending to $12,602,862.73.
The proposed work is part of Blueprint Columbus, the city’s green infrastructure initiative designed to alleviate chronic sanitary sewer overflows and basement backups. According to the Department of Public Utilities, the Miller Kelton area—also known as Driving Park—was designated a Blueprint priority because heavy storms overwhelm local pipes, discharging untreated sanitary sewage into Alum Creek near the Alum Creek Multi-Use Trail. The city found that more than 3 acres of stormwater runoff drain into the sanitary sewer system, triggering backups into neighborhood basements.
Street Scope and 630-Day Timeline
The contract calls for installing permeable pavement and storm sewers within city rights-of-way on Bulen Avenue, Lilley Avenue, Berkeley Road, and Bide-A-Wee Park Avenue. The contractor will also replace neighborhood waterlines, rebuild curbs and sidewalks, and repave affected street surfaces.
Permeable pavers feature gravel beds and engineered joints that let rainwater soak into the ground rather than running off paved streets into sanitary drains. The work is slated to take place across Planning Area 62 (Livingston Avenue Area) and Planning Area 56 (Near East).
Once the city issues a formal notice to proceed, Danbert will have 630 days to complete construction. The contract total includes a 10% construction contingency to cover approved field changes and unforeseen conditions.
Danbert Underbids Two Competitors
Danbert secured the recommendation after emerging as the lowest of three bidders during competitive bidding held between June 29 and July 29.
Bids opened on July 29 showed Danbert proposing $12,600,862.73. That figure beat offers from two rival contractors: Trucco Construction Co., Inc., which bid $15,525,632.10, and Complete General Construction, which submitted a bid of $17,778,441.17. City procurement staff evaluated the bids and determined Danbert's submission to be the lowest and best responsive bid.
State Clean Water Loans and Budget Reallocations
Ordinance 2313-2026 relies on low-interest financing through two separate programs administered by the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA).
The permeable pavers and storm sewer phase accounts for $8,899,434.31, funded through the state Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF), which is co-managed by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and OWDA. City Council initially approved the WPCLF loan application under Ordinance 3119-2025 in December 2025.
The waterline improvements portion will draw $3,701,428.42 through the OWDA Fresh Water Program, authorized by council under Ordinance 0341-2026 in March.
Under the text of the ordinance, the contract award remains explicitly contingent upon both loans being approved by the OWDA Board.
To align city accounts with the loan package, the legislation amends the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget (Ordinance 1790-2025). The change establishes $3,701,429 in budget authority in the Fresh Water Market Rate Loan Fund and transfers $2,000 within the Sanitary Bond Fund from the Blueprint Tulane/Findley project to cover the required prevailing wage compliance reviews.
Council meets at 5 p.m. Monday in City Hall to act on the ordinance.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Columbus City Council · 2026-10-05
Supporting evidence (1)
The Columbus City Council is scheduled to hold a second reading and consider approval Monday of a $12.6 million construction contract with Plain City-based Danbert, Inc. to install permeable pavers and replace aging waterlines on the city's Near East Side, according to council records.
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REGULAR MEETING NO.43 OF COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL, OCTOBER 5, 2026 at 5:00 P.M. IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS..
Supporting evidence (1)
Ordinance 2313-2026, which received its first reading on Sept. 28, authorizes the director of Columbus Water and Power to award up to $12,600,862.73 to Danbert, Inc. for the Blueprint Miller Kelton – Kent/Fairwood Permeable Pavers and Kent/Fairwood Waterline Improvements project.
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Read for the First Time
Supporting evidence (12)
Ordinance 2313-2026, which received its first reading on Sept. 28, authorizes the director of Columbus Water and Power to award up to $12,600,862.73 to Danbert, Inc. for the Blueprint Miller Kelton – Kent/Fairwood Permeable Pavers and Kent/Fairwood Waterline Improvements project.
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Danbert, Inc., 8077 Memorial Drive, Plain City, OH 43064, in an amount up to $12,600,862.73
The measure also sets aside $2,000 from the Sanitary Bond Fund for prevailing wage services through the Department of Public Service, bringing total authorized spending to $12,602,862.73.
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to authorize the expenditure of up to $2,000.00 from the Sanitary Bond Fund to pay for prevailing wage services.
The contract calls for installing permeable pavement and storm sewers within city rights-of-way on Bulen Avenue, Lilley Avenue, Berkeley Road, and Bide-A-Wee Park Avenue.
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This project will construct permeable pavement and storm sewers within the Right-of-Way on Bulen Avenue, Lilley Avenue, Berkeley Road, and Bide-A-Wee Park Avenue. This work also includes the relocation of waterlines, pavement and sidewalk restoration, and other such work as may be necessary to complete the contract.
Once the city issues a formal notice to proceed, Danbert will have 630 days to complete construction.
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TIMELINE: Contract work is required to be completed in a manner acceptable to the City within 630 days of the date that a Notice To Proceed (NTP) is given by the City.
The contract total includes a 10% construction contingency to cover approved field changes and unforeseen conditions.
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The bid amount and proposed award amount is $12,600,862.73, including a 10% construction contingency amount that will be utilized to fund needed and approved changes in the work.
Bids opened on July 29 showed Danbert proposing $12,600,862.73.
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Danbert, Inc. $12,600,862.73
That figure beat offers from two rival contractors: Trucco Construction Co., Inc., which bid $15,525,632.10, and Complete General Construction, which submitted a bid of $17,778,441.17.
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Trucco Construction Co., Inc. $15,525,632.10
That figure beat offers from two rival contractors: Trucco Construction Co., Inc., which bid $15,525,632.10, and Complete General Construction, which submitted a bid of $17,778,441.17.
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Complete General Construction $17,778,441.17
The permeable pavers and storm sewer phase accounts for $8,899,434.31, funded through the state Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF), which is co-managed by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and OWDA.
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That the appropriation of $8,899,434.31, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund, Fund 6111, and the appropriation of $3,701,428.42, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in the Water - Fresh Water Market Rate Loan Fund, Fund 6014
The waterline improvements portion will draw $3,701,428.42 through the OWDA Fresh Water Program, authorized by council under Ordinance 0341-2026 in March.
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That the appropriation of $8,899,434.31, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund, Fund 6111, and the appropriation of $3,701,428.42, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in the Water - Fresh Water Market Rate Loan Fund, Fund 6014
Under the text of the ordinance, the contract award remains explicitly contingent upon both loans being approved by the OWDA Board.
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This ordinance is contingent upon both loans being approved by the OWDA Board.
To align city accounts with the loan package, the legislation amends the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget (Ordinance 1790-2025).
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That the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget authorized by Ordinance 1790-2025 be amended as follows
https://blueprintneighborhoods.com/neighborhoods/miller-kelton/
Supporting evidence (2)
According to the Department of Public Utilities, the Miller Kelton area—also known as Driving Park—was designated a Blueprint priority because heavy storms overwhelm local pipes, discharging untreated sanitary sewage into Alum Creek near the Alum Creek Multi-Use Trail.
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Miller Kelton, also known as Driving Park, has been identified as a Blueprint priority area due to a significant number of basement backup incidences and the sanitary sewer overflow that discharges into Alum Creek near the Alum Creek Multi-Use Trail.
The city found that more than 3 acres of stormwater runoff drain into the sanitary sewer system, triggering backups into neighborhood basements.
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over 3 acres of storm water runoff drain to the sanitary sewer system, creating additional capacity issues and leading to basement backups.