The Waitsfield Select Board selected Blow and Cote, Inc. of Morrisville, to replace a culvert on the East Warren Road between Mobus and Sherman Road for $223,485.
The town pre-purchased the culvert in the summer of 2022 and has been storing it at the town garage. The town received five bids, with the low bid coming from Blow and Cote. The project was originally slated for summer 2022 but was put off until this year due to higher costs and inflation. The town had previously received a Vermont Town Highway Structures grant of $175,000 for the project with a 10% ($17,500) town match.
At its March 6 meeting, the board, town administrator Annie Decker-Dell’Isola explained that the original 2022 project estimate for materials, engineering and construction was $218,429.
The lowest of the five bids for construction that the town received was $223,485. Total project costs will be $306,913 which breaks down to:
-Culvert $56,428.
-Engineering $24,000.
-Construction $223,485.
-Easement compensation $3,000.
The town will use money in its bridge and culvert reserve to cover costs not covered by the grant. The culvert and engineering have already been paid for. The town’s original FY22-26 capital improvement plan included a reserve contribution of $60,500, but the actual project costs have increased by $88,464 so $131,913 total will need to come from the bridge and culvert reserve.
The reserve currently has a balance of $139,335. The FY23 transfer of $80,000 to this reserve will take place in June 2023, which will leave a balance of $87,422 in this reserve at the culmination of this project in July/August 2023.
The project is expected to take place over school break (June 19-August 21) and should not take more than two weeks. The contractor will be responsible for putting up signs noticing of the road closure 10 days prior to closing. Construction will be during daytime hours and access for emergency vehicles will be maintained.
