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Seward County approves $123,420 change order for 2025 overlay shouldering
Summary
The Seward County Board of County Commissioners approved a $123,420 change order to have J&R Constructors Group perform shouldering work on the county's 2025 HMA overlay project; striping will be bid separately and the work will be funded from bond proceeds.
The Seward County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve a $123,420 change order so J&R Constructors Group can perform shouldering work on the county's 2025 HMA overlay project.
County Administrator April Ward told commissioners the contractor asked to perform the shouldering after a pre-construction meeting because the original engineering bid did not include shoulders or striping and the county lacks the necessary equipment and trained staff to build the shoulders in-house. “We simply do not have the equipment, nor…people qualified in building those shoulders right now,” Ward said.
Ward said J&R asked to be relieved of liability for the roadway until shoulders are built and compacted; having the contractor perform the shoulder work would both speed construction and reduce the risk of damaging the fresh asphalt. Ward also told the board the overlay project was bid in five phases, that bids on the overlay totaled about $5,735,000 against an earlier $6,000,000 estimate, and that change order number one had produced a reduction of about $112,340 that could be applied toward the shouldering cost.
Commissioner Helm moved to approve the change order; Commissioner Boer seconded. The board approved the motion by voice vote. April Ward said the change order will be paid from bond proceeds.
Ward and staff explained striping is not included in this change order and will be bid separately, and that J&R Constructors Group will provide pilot cars and traffic control. Ward said the contractor will mill and reuse fresh millings for the shoulders using a machine that compacts the material more cleanly and quickly than county blades would. She warned that one intersection (the cattle entrance at the cutoff) will need to be closed for up to a day to complete tie-in work, weather permitting, and that large silage-truck traffic may require additional law enforcement assistance during operations.
The board approved the change order 5-0. Next steps Ward identified include scheduling the shouldering with J&R, issuing a separate bid for striping, and coordinating traffic control for the single-day closure needed to tie into the Cobalt cattle entrance area.
