Nick McWilliams reporting – The Dover Service Department is searching for ways to make the replacement of a bridge on East 20th Street a reality despite ongoing hiccups.
The project, which aims to replace a small bridge over Goettge Run on the north end of town, was first bid out with no contractors submitting proposals, followed by a second bidding process in late May, according to Service Director Dave Douglas.
Despite receiving a submission for review, he says that the projected total is double the estimate received by engineers, but the Ohio Department of Transportation will honor the grant that was supposed to be for the last fiscal year.
“It was $1,727,959.52. Of course, we can’t award that, and we won’t be awarding it for that. What we are going to do, we’ve talked many times with our engineer for ODOT, and ODOT is going to be kind enough to carry our $602,000 that they were granting us over into the next fiscal year.”
Douglas has concerns with rising engineering costs for projects, and called those rising dollar figures “out of control” related to the replacement.
He says the city’s goal will now be to cut down on any costs they can, and hash out a new plan with the involved parties.
“We are all going to meet — myself, the mayor, our design engineers on that project, and also ODOT representatives, and the contractor, to sit down and basically go through this with a fine-toothed comb to see where we can try and reduce [costs] with some different changes so we can save some money and get this back down.”
Douglas predicted the next bid opening to occur in fall or winter to start work next year.
He says that currently there are no plans for further load restrictions at this time or a closing of 20th Street at the bridge, but a replacement will have to occur at some point.
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