New soil needed for Center Street work
By Ty Johnson
Published in News on June 24, 2012 1:50 AM
The Goldsboro City Council last week discussed a change order for the Center Street Streetscape project that will cost the city an additional $90,000 to import soil. Council members also learned that Mulberry Street might need to be closed along the work site for a period that could be as long as two weeks.
Construction began May 14 on the $1.3 million project, which aims to widen sidewalks, plant shade-giving trees and allow for a pathway down the center median. Additional funds will allow Progress Energy to put utilities underground along with other infrastructure improvements.
The work has led to the closure of North Center Street from Mulberry to Ash streets, and, to allow for the continuation of the project south to the next block, could require an additional closure of at least a portion of Mulberry Street, although specifics concerning the closure weren't known.
The change order came about due to poor soil that was exposed beneath the decades-old pavement along Center Street. Importing new soil is expected to cost between $60,000 and $90,000, which would be covered by the contingency that was built into the City Council's allocation for the project.
In other business, the council approved a budget amendment for the city to receive $534,600.08 in FEMA reimbursement due to expenses incurred during the aftermath of Hurricane Irene last August.
That amendment, along with an amendment to the Capital Projects Fund to allow for sanitary sewer and street improvements, was approved by consent as part of the council's consent agenda.
The approval and adoption of the Wayne County Solid Waste Management Plan, acceptance of federal drug forfeiture money and monthly departmental reports rounded out the consent agenda.
The council will next meet July 9, a change from the typical first and third Monday schedule due to Independence Day. The second meeting in July will also be affected as it is scheduled for July 23.