Result of the City's Price Negotiations for Highway 20 Pedestrian Bridge
Still More than $1 Million Over Budget at a Proposed $7.1 Million+.
On Friday, the City updated its memo for the Highway 20 Pedestrian Bridge to reflect its negotiations with OhmShiv Construction, LLC, the low bidder for the project.
OhmShiv's initial bid was $7,222,626.50, which was well more than a million dollars ($1,167,626.50) over the City's budgeted amount for the project, $6,055,000.00.
The City negotiated with OhmShiv to reduce the price of the project, and managed to bring it down $120,000 to a price of $7,102,626.50. The reduction was the result of unspecified changes to traffic control, grading, and “mobilization items.” Apparently, the DNA spirals of which City Manager Paul Radford and City Council Member Taylor Anderson are so enamored will remain a part of the design.
The reduced amount is still more than a million dollars ($1,047,626.50) over budget.
To make up the difference, City management proposed reallocating some of the SPLOST dollars previously budgeted for other projects (Whitehead Road roundabout work and their “Downtown” streetscape work) to the bridge project.
They also amended the memo by upping their estimate of the total number of people who live in the area. They conveniently assume that all of these people will be using the bridge. They also omit the fact that the City choices to approve so many high-density housing projects in the “Downtown” area are responsible for much of that population size.
City staff is still recommending that City Council approve the contract, now for the amount of $7,102,626.50.
The vote will take place at the monthly City Council meeting on Monday, October 14 at 7:30 PM.
