Des Moines seeks $1.2 million contingency to finish 20 Fourth Avenue South project after utility conflicts

City engineers told the Des Moines City Transportation Committee on March 13 that the 20 Fourth Avenue South improvement project has incurred roughly $1.2 million in additional costs after repeated conflicts with a franchise utility, and staff will ask the City Council to amend the construction contingency to finish the work.

The committee heard a presentation from Kyle Le, principal engineer, who said the project — segment 2 of 20 Fourth Avenue South, which adds a two‑way left turn lane, curb, gutter, sidewalk and bike lanes — ran into multiple unplanned utility conflicts during construction. "We encounter multiple, like, conflict with PSC, like, utilities, which led to, 2 different, like, expansion of work," Le said during the presentation. Le and other staff recommended adding contingency so the contractor can be paid and the roadway work completed on schedule.

The additional contingency requested is approximately $1,200,000. Staff told the committee that the funding would come from the arterial paving fund (the same fund that paid last year’s overlay program) and that, as a result, some overlay work planned this year will be…