Brevard County Commissioner Andy Anderson Frustrated With Wickham Road Delays
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UPDATE: All 5 Lanes Open On Wickham Road
MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Brevard County District 5 Commissioner Andy Anderson expressed the frustration of business owners along Wickham Road who are awaiting the completion of the construction project which was initially scheduled to be finished by Thanksgiving.
MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Brevard County District 5 Commissioner Andy Anderson expressed the frustration of business owners along Wickham Road who are awaiting the completion of the construction project which was initially scheduled to be finished by Thanksgiving.
Anderson's email to County Staff follows:
I want to put everyone in notice that the continued delays of the south Wickham Road project are unacceptable.
When we started having issues several months ago, I was ask to not take action at that time and was assured that construction would be complete by Thanksgiving day to ensure that the small businesses along the road were not impacted on the busiest day of holiday spending.
I plan to agenda the issue on December 3rd to request a full hearing by the BOCC to determine recourse for the taxpayers of Brevard.
Prior to that - I would like any explanation from the contractor and staff as to why this project is so over due!
I request that County staff and the contractor are prepared to discuss this issue on December 3rd - including any remedies or penalties that may be in order. We owe it to the businesses that are being unfairly impacted due to the apparent inability of the contractor to perform as required - or our loss of proper oversight.
I will ask my staff to invite each business owner along the project to speak in front of BOCC also.
My patience has ended with this fiasco!
Later that same day, Brevard County Public Works Department Directoe John Denninghoff sent the following reply to Anderson's email:
Commissioner,
Please see the upcoming project schedule for South Wickham Road. This assumes good weather starting tomorrow. If it all works out then there will be unobstructed traffic conditions by Thanksgiving. If the weather or the asphalt supplier fails us so to speak then the desired out come will be in jeopardy.
In reading your earlier email on this subject I understand the frustration but I can assure you that County Staff has done everything prudently or reasonably available to improve the performance of the Contractor. Staff has at no time failed to provide appropriate 'over site' as provided under our contract and the operation of law. Further, as this subject is potentially the subject of a suit I will not over further commentary accept to say that we will continue to do the best we can.
Denninghoff also forwarded to Anderson the contractor's specifics about the projects completion:
The plan of the contractor is as follows:
Complete paving of the final lift of asphalt for all the side streets Thursday, November 21, 2013. (Pending Weather)
On Friday (22nd) start paving the final lift of friction course asphalt within Phase III (currently the closed off work area). Continue paving on Saturday (23rd) within Phase III.
On Monday, November 25, 2013, the contractor will switch traffic over to the final configuration of Wickham Road which is two lanes northbound, one center turn lane, and two lanes southbound and then start paving the final lift of friction course asphalt under traffic conditions on Monday as well. Continue to pave on Tuesday (26th) and Wednesday (27th) to complete the final lift of asphalt. Be aware that the final paving occurring on Monday through Wednesday will be performed under traffic conditions. This means that each day one lane of northbound traffic will be closed to allow the paving operation to proceed. At no time will business driveways be closed to customers.
The schedule above assume that the weather will cooperate and that Saturday paving will occur. The contractor was rained out today and was not able to finish the side streets.
The current configuration of the roadway is one lane northbound, one center turn lane, and one lane southbound. All side streets and business driveways are open.
Anderson then rebuffed:
They will need to work on Sunday and at night (on their dime) if needed as far as I'm concerned - I will not listen to excuses from the contractor any longer.
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