Berkeley widening project on hold
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on November 23, 2014 1:50 AM
The Berkeley Boulevard widening project has been put on hold temporarily because of complications with utility relocation in the area.
The contract was originally awarded to Fred Smith Co. at $2.8 million, but the company balked at the location of several utility lines in the project plans.
"The location of the sanitary sewer lines was supposed to be rolled into the widening project, and the city was responsible for acquiring the right of way and relocating water lines," Goldsboro Director of Engineering Marty Anderson said.
Anderson said this means Fred Smith Co. was responsible for completing work on sanitary sewer lines in the area, but backed out of that portion of the project once the company reviewed the plans.
After the planned location for gas lines was moved in the project plan, the state Department of Transportation failed to update the plans before bids were sought, and Fred Smith Co. officials said the company would be unable to perform the work as desired because gas lines in the plan are too close to water and sanitary sewer lines in the project design bids.
Anderson said DOT indicated it would not be possible to rebid the project under the terms of Fred Smith Co.'s contract, but the city will continue to push for that option if it is at all possible.
Anderson said the project would take longer if Goldsboro's engineering department is required to redesign the location of sanitary sewer lines for the project to move them farther away from the planned location of the gas lines and bid that part of the project out to an independent company.
Anderson said the city is currently trying to negotiate for Fred Smith Co. to find a subcontractor to do sanitary sewer line design for the project, or to get the DOT to rebid the project with updated plans.
"There is not a set time frame at this point for when the project will resume," said Jennifer Garifo, DOT communications officer.
The project is expected to add a right turn lane onto Fourth Avenue from Berkeley Boulevard and construct another southbound lane from New Hope Road to connect with the section that is already a four-lane road north of U.S. 70.