MARK CRESSOTTI
WESTFIELD – The Board of Public Works Tuesday night approved six change orders to increase funding by more than $400,000 for projects which are either on-going or in the design phase.
Four of the change orders, totaling $243,042, pertain to the city-funded Elm Street improvements, replacing sidewalk and water lines between Church Street and the Great River Bridge site.
The $1.2 million Elm Street water main and paving project is being done by Jack Goncalves & Sons of Ludlow. The original contract did not include lowering the roadway under the former railroad overpass.
City Engineer Mark Cressotti requested the board to approve an additional $118,860 for that work to allow commercial truck to pass under the overpass without having to cross over into the on-coming lane for clearance.
Cressotti also submitted a change order of $12,602 for work to remove an asbestos concrete water line found during the project under Summer Street. that work involved installing a new water line and services to buildings.
The third change order was in the amount of $54,878 to the contractor for traffic management as crews worked in different locations throughout the job site.
The fourth Elm Street contract amendment submitted to the board was in the amount of $56,600 to Tighe & Bond for providing additional construction supervision.
Cressotti also submitted a change order for the Main Street/Broad Street project in the amount of $31,602 to the contractor, J.H. Lynch for sewer improvements not covered by state and federal funding.
The last contract amendment is $143,100 to Tighe & Bond for the Old Town Roadway Reconstruction project which is planned for the 2013 construction season and will be coordinated with the construction of the proposed elementary school at the corner of Ashley and Cross streets and the senior center on Noble Street. The original estimate for the engineering services was $266,100, but only $125,000 was initially awarded for the design work. The additional funds are needed to complete the design work for Taylor Avenue, State Street, Cross Street and Ashley Street.
“Cross Street and Ashley Street will be substantially reconstructed because of infrastructure improvements related to the school building project,” Cressotti said. “Some of the other streets are not in bad shape and the scope of work will be related to street scape improvements such as new curbs and sidewalks.”
The Old Town Road Reconstruction project includes: Taylor, State, Cross, Ashley, George Frederick, Noble, East Silver, Cycle and Exchange streets as well as Parkside Avenue, Cleveland Avenue, Lindbergh Boulevard and Old Town Fordway.
Many of those streets were impacted by the $14 million Main Street reconstruction project, while others have been trenched for gas and water improvements and need to be resurfaced.
“Most of these are older streets where the infrastructure, drains and sewers, are not in bad shape, but we do plan to replace water lines, pave, install new sidewalks and curbs as part of this effort,” Cressotti said. “A lot of this is centered on meeting the new demands of the proposed school and senior center.”
