The Township Council may have the opportunity to vote on awarding a contract pertaining to the Meadow Road reconstruction as early as Monday, April 20.##M:[more]##
According to Business Administrator Chris Marion, the township received six bids, ranging from $6.8 million to $8.9 million for the work, and the engineering department is still in the process of reviewing the bids. “One of the cost drivers in the bids is microtunneling,” said Marion. “We’ll be prepared to discuss this more at the April 20 meeting.”
The first phase of the Meadow Road project entails realigning the 90-degree curve so that Meadow Road from Bear Brook will go directly to the bridge and to Route 1 and Carnegie Center in a straight line. It also includes putting in sewers along the road.
The second phase includes improvements from Bear Brook Road to the Clarksville Road intersection, where a traffic light will be installed. The design of the intersection will also have to be coordinated with county plans for future improvements of Clarksville Road.
During the council’s April 2 meeting, township engineer Francis Guzik said that he anticipates the project to begin in the late spring or early summer, most likely at the end of May. Council members asked how long the project would take, and Guzik said the period of time it takes for construction would be dictated by the contractor, but that he anticipated the project being completed by early January, 2010.
On a related note, the council approved an amendment to the professional services agreement with T&M Associates for engineering services for the Meadow Road project. The township needed professional engineering services on a consultant basis in conjunction with the road improvements. The project also includes the design of the north branch of the Duck Pond Run sewer interceptor to the Duck Pond Run Pump Station.
T&M Associates was awarded a contract in November, 2004, for $626,”912, which was since amended twice — to add $138,”155 in October, 2005 and $49,”345 in September, 2008.
However, according to the ordinance, “additional services and permit fees are required to finish the design phase of this project.” The amendment approved on April 2 added $36,”176.32 to the contract, bringing it to a total of $850,”588.32.
