The rehabilitation of Veterans Way is costing substantially more than anticipated. That means other capital road work will have to get pushed off the list, at least until next year.
Director of operations and protective services, Tarmo Uukkivi, told council that while the Veterans Way road and drainage rehabilitation project was budgeted at $750,000, market conditions have changed. The cost is now expected to land at $1,240,395, including expanding storm sewer drainage in the area which consists of a main drainage trunk for the town, “to a larger diameter to account for anticipated additional water drainage as a result of climate change,” stated Uukkivi in his report to council. “The work [of] restoring and rehabilitating Veterans Way also provides the opportunity to bring Veterans Way in line with the Council approved Urban Roads Standards (sidewalks, lamp posts/lighting, etc.),” he added.
He said an increase in the cost of materials, labour as well as contractor availability (as only one contractor bid on the project which needs to be completed before winter maintenance begins) were all part of the rise in the cost of the project. “The Veterans Way rehabilitation project costs are partially offset by a Canada Community Building Fund grant ($628,467) with the remainder of the project costs, to be funded through the Roads Capital Reserve,” he stated. “When the actual value of the project exceeds the budgeted value but remains in the overall budget for the type of project, it means that staff are not able to complete as many of the projects as were contemplated when the budget was created,” adds the report.
“We’ll anticipate every town block to cost a million dollars from now on—scary,” said Huntsville Mayor Karin Teriziano.
Veterans Way is 380 metres in length and runs west from Brunel Road to Centre Street.
You can find Uukkivi’s full report here (pdf).
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Good point about holding to the contract, but sounds like storm water management issues not anticipated. Imagine that. Can’t fault a contractor for a serious planning error. Let’s get realistic professional contracts drawn up. Sure sometimes there are surprises, but given available technology, they should be minimal. What’s super frustrating to me is the long list of bad roadways needing repair being shelved. We have lived at the end of Meadow Park for 11 years and the heaving, rolling corner at Scott has been horrible most of those years. So bad people have to drive down the wrong side of the road or destroy shock absorbers or even bottom out at 30-40km. Poor drainage and holes on another section of Meadow Park means driving down the wrong side or damage wheel rims. Previous King William construction detours have over burdened Meadow Park so no surprises there. Up side is, cars can only go 20kmph at most so safer for children and walkers. Helen street hill is cracked and heaves every spring. 1/2 of the crack was partially repaired but only one half. What a joke. Hazardous driving there too. Let’s just do the job right the first time and stop wasting funds.
Why would the town pay more for a contract that was tendered? Was there information not supplied to the contractor that makes the town liable or is just bad management on the town and district end of this endeavor. If the contractor cannot finish the job for the tendered amount would he not have a bond to cover the short fall?