Richland County increases contingency for Dirt Road Package O change order, raises pavement standard

The Richland County Transportation Ad Hoc Committee voted unanimously to increase the contingency for Dirt Road Package O to cover a third change order that added work and higher construction standards.

County staff told the committee that the original contract for the project (presented in staff materials as roughly $1.359 million) included a 10% contingency; the requested increase raised that contingency to about 11.7% to cover added pavement, an extension of paved roadway on Howard Coogler Road and other adjustments. Staff said prior change orders extended paving by 600 feet on Howard Coogler Road, increased asphalt pavement thickness from 2 inches to 3 inches (implemented as two lifts of about 1.5 inches each), and included concrete aprons for properties on steep slopes that need additional traction to access the road.

Staff presented contingency dollar figures in the briefing document: the contingency amount was shown growing from about $135,094.45 to $203,531.50 to accommodate the change order, as presented to the committee. Staff also said some adjacent private areas required permissions to access or finish transitions from the new pavement.

A motion to approve the contingency increase for Debt Package O (Dirt Road Package O) passed on a roll-call vote: Member Pugh, Member Livingston, Member Weaver, Member Aline and Member Mackie voted yes.

The committee noted the county will align penny-funded work with county pavement standards going forward; staff said the Penny program will follow the higher thickness standard for future dirt road paving projects.