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NORRIDGEWOCK

Costs of town road projects increase

By Erin Rhoda erhoda@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

NORRIDGEWOCK -- One road project down. Two to go -- with some adjustments.

The town has discovered that one of its current road projects will cost $24,000 more than anticipated. Another road project has temporarily stopped due to concerns about the road's base material.

In a special meeting Thursday, selectmen agreed that an engineering company should examine that road's base material before work continues. The matter is also on the selectmen's agenda for their regular Monday meeting.

The paving and minor construction work is complete on the previously-dirt section of Martin Stream Road, and it cost $7,000 less than anticipated, Town Manager Michelle Flewelling said.

The other two projects, however, in the $339,000 contract with paver Bruce Manzer, have hit some potholes.

One of those, which is part of Beech Hill Road, off River Road, will be paved, but 300 tons more material is needed, Flewelling said. "We underestimated the amount of tonnage we needed to do shim and overlay, and that project went over $24,000," she said.

The third project, to pave the section of Ward Hill Road between Tarbell Hill Road and Walker Road, may need more than just a shim and overlay, it turns out. There may have been a problem with the original construction of the road.

The road has shifted throughout the year, "which means that we don't think the base is stable," Flewelling said.

But no one will know, she said, until someone looks.

That's why selectmen voted Thursday for S.W. Cole Engineering to examine the material under the asphalt.

"Is it sand; is it clay; is it not the right kind of gravel?" Flewelling said. "If what's underneath isn't any good, it doesn't matter what we do (to pave it). It'll just be a waste of money."

She said, "If they have to make adjustments to it, it may be an additional cost. But before we go into it, we want to make sure we know what we're doing," she said.

Dirigo Engineering does the town's design, contracting, bidding and administration work on road projects, in conjunction with the town.

In a separate road project, the Sandy River Road work is done, and the road is open, as of Aug. 11. That project rerouted a portion of Sandy River Road away from the Sandy River. The road's embankment had slid into the water, causing it to be closed for weeks, cutting off a nearby farmer from his fields.

Erin Rhoda -- 474-9534

erhoda@centralmaine.com