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Sherburne County approves amendment to Bridge 71504 design, confirming pedestrian element
Summary
After debate over a $170,000 scope increase, the board approved an amendment with WSB & Associates for Bridge 71504 (Casa 15) that county staff says covers multiple design changes including a pedestrian/trail component previously included in plans.
The Sherburne County Board of Commissioners approved an amendment to the design contract with WSB & Associates for Bridge 71504 (known locally as Casa 15), authorizing additional engineering services that county staff said encompass unforeseen design changes and a pedestrian walkway. The motion, moved by Commissioner Danielowski and seconded by Commissioner Schumacher, passed by voice vote.
Commissioner Peter Schumacher said he was surprised by a roughly $170,000 increase being added while the bridge work was already underway. "We hadn't talked about putting a trail component on that bridge during the entire months leading up to this point," Schumacher said, adding that he expected that any pedestrian elements would have been part of the plans the board reviewed earlier.
County engineer Andrew (last name not specified in the record) told the board the trail portion "has always been included in the plan since the beginning" and that most of the additional funds reflect multiple engineering and design scope changes encountered during detailed design, not solely the pedestrian design. He also noted that local bridge bond funding typically obligates an 80/20 split, making the incremental local cost for adding a trail on a long‑lived bridge smaller now than the cost of retrofitting later.
Administrator Bruce (last name not specified) said staff would supply the original documentation showing the trail was included in project scoping to clarify the issue for the record. The board voted to approve the contract amendment as recommended by staff.
The approved amendment covers additional professional services tied to adjustments in geometry and safety clearances noted in the final design, and the contract was carried forward by formal motion and vote.
