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Council approves roughly $2.4 million final change order for La Paz Bridge widening
Summary
The Mission Viejo City Council unanimously approved a final construction change order totaling about $2.4 million for the La Paz Bridge widening project, citing unexpected structural repairs and additional construction management costs; staff said the work should be substantially complete after striping scheduled for March 7.
The Mission Viejo City Council voted unanimously to approve a final construction change order and associated construction-management costs for the La Paz Bridge Road widening project (CIP 01756).
Public works staff (identified in the meeting as Mr. Shagnon) told the council that crews expect to finish median construction and then perform a final asphalt overlay and striping that would make the project "substantially complete" by March 7. He asked the council to authorize a change-order allowance of roughly $2,160,000 for Flatiron Construction plus $280,000 for additional construction management by Arcadis, for a combined request of about $2,400,000. "So from today, through next Monday, we're gonna be finishing up the median construction," Mr. Shagnon said.
Council members pressed staff on funding contingencies if federal reimbursements fall short. Staff said the city has submitted reimbursement requests and is pursuing additional federal grants through programs administered by SCAG and OCTA, but that worst-case mitigation would be to defer other arterial pavement work to make up the shortfall. Council member Vasquez asked explicitly whether the city would budget additional general-fund money if grant requests were denied; staff replied that the likely approach would be to reprogram and delay other repaving projects rather than draw from the general fund.
The council also questioned why the project had been delayed after initial expectations it would be finished earlier. Staff explained a sequence of unforeseeable obstacles: deck overhang deterioration that required demolition and reconstruction to support a new median barrier; recent rain; a Kinder Morgan fuel-line conflict that required coordination and abandonment; buried rock placed by the railroad that caused drilling refusal when installing caissons; and the discovery of asbestos in sidewalk utilities that triggered special handling and testing. "That set us back about a month," staff said of the bridge-deck repairs.
After discussion and public comment, Council member Kelly moved to approve the recommended action; the motion passed on a 5-0 verbal vote. The council directed staff to continue pursuing federal reimbursement and other grant opportunities and to report back on contingency plans if requested funds are not awarded.
