Speedway approves $334,685.30 payment for 20 Fifth Street project, adds $8,000 for soils testing

The Town of Speedway Town Council on July 28 approved pay request No. 1 to Midwest Paving Inc. for $334,685.30 for the 20 Fifth Street reconstruction and authorized a $8,000 supplemental agreement with Kessler Consulting to fund additional soil testing for the next phase of the project. Both measures passed unanimously, 5-0.

Council president Nick Sturgeon opened the discussion and Grant Kleinides, town manager, explained the payment and the reasons for the design supplement. "A claim has been submitted for Midwest Paving for the 20 Fifth Street project. The payment is in the amount of $334,685.30, and this will bring that contract remaining to about $2,049,570," Kleinides said.

Kleinides told the council the project has experienced weather-related delays. "We have had more rain days in June and July than were expected, which caused the base to fail, pushing that completion out a little further," he said, estimating about a two-week delay to the schedule and saying the contract calls for completion in November. Kleinides noted curb work and base repairs were underway and that asphalt base course was expected by the end of the week, with final paving to follow once the full project is ready.

Councilors raised concerns about school drop-off and pickup. Kleinides said staff were coordinating with the high school and school administration. He also said the town may seek police assistance for traffic control during the start of school.

On the design contract, Kleinides said the town will add $8,000 to Kessler Consulting to hire a consultant for further soil investigation ahead of bidding for the next phase. "Because we're gonna put it into the bid, we think we will not have the issues we've had with the base now. It will be demanded that they do the various stabilization, either lime or concrete," Kleinides said, adding the supplemental testing is intended to reduce change orders and future repairs.

Kleinides described the proof roll process used to evaluate base stability: "A proof roll is nothing more than a heavy laden dump truck driving across a road to look for soft spots. If the tires sink in, you know that part is not good." He estimated the rebuilt sections should yield a 15- to 20-year lifespan compared with about 10 years for the previous surface.

Council approved both the pay request and the supplemental agreement, each by a 5-0 vote.

The reconstruction work covered the segment from Lyndhurst to the western edge of the school property for this phase; design work is underway for the Parkwood-to-high-school segment expected to be constructed next year.

Requests for further scheduling updates or detailed change-order accounting were not specified during the meeting.