Princeton approves change order for South Pine/South Center drainage work; contractor to add pipe and detention area

The Princeton Board of Commissioners voted to approve a change agreement for the South Pine–South Center drainage improvement project after an update from Luke Baker of TRC.

Baker told the board the project’s construction contract was awarded to Haddock Enterprises after an October bid opening. He said TRC obtained an additional easement needed to relocate the main pipe into a maintainable corridor and asked the contractor for a price to perform that extra work. “This project is funded through a $385,000 grant from Johnston County. It doesn't require a match,” Baker said, adding that authorizing the additional work would encumber roughly $354,999 of the grant and that the town should retain about $30,000 for contingency.

Baker described the technical changes: the town will abandon the existing 30-inch concrete pipe in place (filling it with concrete) and install two new 30-inch concrete pipes to increase capacity. He also confirmed a town-owned parcel will be used for a stormwater detention pond — “essentially a low spot, a pond, that in normal times will be dry. But when it rains… it gives that water a place to back up,” he said — and estimated the parcel at “not quite half an acre” and averaging about 3 feet deep when filled.

Baker and commissioners discussed costs and scope. TRC reported the contractor’s original bid was about $83,160; the additional scope is roughly $186,912, bringing the construction total to about $270,072. Baker said about $84,927 of the grant award had been encumbered for engineering services (survey, design, permitting and bidding). He told the board the additional pipe length increased from about 150 linear feet to an additional 350 linear feet, effectively doubling the in-ground work for that corridor.

Baker cautioned the work will not finish all downstream improvements: additional ditch widening, debris removal behind Cloverdale and other downstream work remain to be funded. He said potential funding sources include savings from under-run wastewater projects and funds currently earmarked for the western drainage improvements; the latter could be repurposed only if the town’s BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) FEMA application is successful.

Commissioners asked about schedule. Baker said precast structures are custom-made and lead times required the board to extend the contractor’s completion date into late January and possibly February depending on plant schedules. He said the town would post weekly updates when procurement dates are firm.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to enter the change agreement and the board approved the motion by voice vote (3–0). The board did not name individual nay or abstaining votes.