Aurora Drive in El Centro is shown before being repaired during a recent project. (COURTESY PHOTO) |
The first phase of El Centro’s roads rehabilitation project was finished in half the time and within budget, something that seldom happens, city officials say.
In public bidding contracts the City Council “typically” sees significant increases in costs, City Councilman Jon Edney said.
Moreover, the final amount the contractor billed the city was actually $1.60 less than the $5,080,619 originally projected, a report to the council states.
The contractor was able to make modifications without changing the price, Edney said. “They’ve (the company) done an excellent job.”
Only last month the City Council gave Hazard Construction an additional $686,785.82 for the Dogwood signalization project, which raised that project’s cost to $3 million. It was the second time Hazard had asked for more money.
In the case of El Centro’s rehabilitation project there were more than 12 modifications, the same report states, with no additional costs billed to the city.
“The contractor provided an aggressive schedule,” project manager Abraham Campos said.
The number of working days set in the contract was 150 days, the report states. Aggregate Products Inc., the contractor, completed the project in 74 days.
Phase 2 of the project will be a repeat in magnitude and cost, Campos said, and will go to public bid late this year with construction scheduled to begin early next year.
“It’s very pretty,” El Centro resident Rosa Murakami said, referring to the rehabilitated Main Street. “Before everything looked old. Now everything looks more attractive.”
“The asphalt is good,” resident Aurora Hiles said, referring also to Main Street. “It looks smooth,” she said.
The material used in the rehabilitation project is durable and “pretty unique,” said John Corcoran, president of the contracting company. Part of it is made with the rubber of about 45,000 used tires, he said. The rehabilitated roads “may easily” last 15 to 20 years depending on preventative maintenance, Corcoran said.
Councilmember Edney said that with the exclusion of the Dogwood project and the extension of Bradshaw Road, 88 percent of the city’s roads have been rehabilitated in the last five years.
“I think it’s certainly very visible in the community, (the) change made,” he said.
Staff Writer Alejandro Davila can be reached at 760-337-3445 or adavila@ivpressonline.comDefense attorney cross examines prosecution witnesses in Archuleta trial
In public bidding contracts the City Council “typically” sees significant increases in costs, City Councilman Jon Edney said.
Moreover, the final amount the contractor billed the city was actually $1.60 less than the $5,080,619 originally projected, a report to the council states.
The contractor was able to make modifications without changing the price, Edney said. “They’ve (the company) done an excellent job.”
Only last month the City Council gave Hazard Construction an additional $686,785.82 for the Dogwood signalization project, which raised that project’s cost to $3 million. It was the second time Hazard had asked for more money.
In the case of El Centro’s rehabilitation project there were more than 12 modifications, the same report states, with no additional costs billed to the city.
“The contractor provided an aggressive schedule,” project manager Abraham Campos said.
The number of working days set in the contract was 150 days, the report states. Aggregate Products Inc., the contractor, completed the project in 74 days.
Phase 2 of the project will be a repeat in magnitude and cost, Campos said, and will go to public bid late this year with construction scheduled to begin early next year.
“It’s very pretty,” El Centro resident Rosa Murakami said, referring to the rehabilitated Main Street. “Before everything looked old. Now everything looks more attractive.”
“The asphalt is good,” resident Aurora Hiles said, referring also to Main Street. “It looks smooth,” she said.
The material used in the rehabilitation project is durable and “pretty unique,” said John Corcoran, president of the contracting company. Part of it is made with the rubber of about 45,000 used tires, he said. The rehabilitated roads “may easily” last 15 to 20 years depending on preventative maintenance, Corcoran said.
Councilmember Edney said that with the exclusion of the Dogwood project and the extension of Bradshaw Road, 88 percent of the city’s roads have been rehabilitated in the last five years.
“I think it’s certainly very visible in the community, (the) change made,” he said.
Staff Writer Alejandro Davila can be reached at 760-337-3445 or adavila@ivpressonline.comDefense attorney cross examines prosecution witnesses in Archuleta trial
