January 24, 2000
Mr. William Monhollon, P.E.
Chief District Engineer
District 5
977 Phillips Lane
P. O. Box 37090
Louisville, KY 40233
Subject: Jefferson County
Second Street (KY 1020)
Item No. 5-430.00
Post-Construction Review
Dear Mr. Monhollon:
A post-construction review was held on the subject project on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 in the District 5 Conference Room. The following personnel were in attendance:
Gregory T. Groves D-5, Preconstruction
Andre Johannes C. O. Highway Design
Joette Fields C. O. Highway Design
Darryl Renfrow Presnell Associates
Robert Semones C. O. Highway Design
Barry Sanders D-5, Construction
R. R. Meyer D-5, Construction
Robert Harris, Jr. D-5, Construction
The attendees reviewed the project plans and construction Change Orders. There were six (6) Change Orders on the project. This post-construction meeting dealt with the widening of Second Street from Main Street to Jefferson Street.
The following Change Orders were discussed:
CHANGE ORDER NO. 1
This Change Order was necessary to compensate the contractor for accelerating the project schedule. After the project was let, it was discovered that the contractor for the Commonwealth Convention Center expansion project had an agreement with the City of Louisville to close Third Street beginning December 1, 1997. This closure was to be for approximately three months and was to allow for the construction of the expansion over Third Street. The agreement was contingent on Second Street being opened to traffic in its final configuration. The contract for this project called for a completion date of ninety (90) Working Days. This would have given the project a completion date of approximately June 1, 1998.
In order to expedite the project to meet the December 1, 1997 deadline, the contractor proposed to work on the leftmost and rightmost lanes concurrently. This scheme combined Phases I and II. As a result the contractor had to commit more manpower and equipment to accomplish this work by the deadline.
Contract Working Days were unaffected by this Change Order. However, it was agreed that if the deadline date was not met, liquidated damages as specified in the contract would apply during the months of December through March, contrary to the Standard Specifications.
Increase $191,525.59
CHANGE ORDER NO. 2
This Change Order was necessary to provide new electric service to a parking garage. The plans indicated that an existing control cabinet and disconnect switch, that were located in a vault at Station 56+90 on the project be removed and relocated to an area outside the limits of the roadway. There were no notes in the project documentation to indicate requirements regarding maintenance of the electrical service to a parking garage. Relocating the existing electrical equipment would leave the parking garage without electrical power for several days.
It was agreed to install new equipment in the final location and transfer the service in order to minimize the period of time that the parking garage would be without electrical service.
Contract Working Days were unaffected by this Change Order.
Increase $17,793.94
CHANGE ORDER NO. 3
This Change Order was necessary to allow the Contractor to relocate four (4) fire hydrants within the project limits. Since the project was on an accelerated schedule, the Louisville Water Company was unable to relocate the hydrants soon enough to meet the December 1, 1997 completion date. In order not to delay the project, it was agreed to allow the contractor to relocate the hydrants and also lower approximately twenty (20) linear feet of twelve (12) inch water main and two (2) domestic service lines.
The Louisville Water Company supplied all materials necessary to accomplish this work and the City of Louisville agreed to reimburse the Department for this work.
Contract Working Days were unaffected by this Change Order.
Increase $22,316.00
CHANGE ORDER NO. 4
This Change Order was necessary to allow the contractor to modify the radius at the corner of Second Street and Jefferson Street and at Second Street and Market Street. These radii were constructed at the specified fifteen (15) feet. However, after constructing them, the City of Louisville determined that this radius would be insufficient to handle large trucks making these turns. It was agreed to increase the radius to thirty (30) feet and to modify drainage at the corner of Second Street and Jefferson Street. This radius change also required the relocation of a fire hydrant at the intersection of Second and Market Street. This type of radius (30’) needs to be considered on future projects of this caliber.
The plans indicated locations for stop bars, crosswalks and pavement marking arrows. However no bid quantities were established for these items of work. It was agreed to install the stop bars and crosswalks at locations specified in the contract plans and to install the turn arrows at locations specified by the Project Engineer.
Contract Working Days were unaffected by this Change Order.
Increase $27,765.80
CHANGE ORDER NO. 5
As required by the contract, the Jefferson County Agricultural Extension Agent analyzed the existing soil for suitability for planting trees and shrubs. This analysis concluded that the existing soil on the project was unsuitable and needed to be replaced. Contract notes required the immediate area of planting be topsoil. It was determined that the existing soil was of such poor quality that the plants would not survive unless the entire planting area was modified. These planting were confined to a raised median and sidewalk utility strips.
Since the survival of these plants was of high importance, it was agreed to remove all of the existing soil within these confined areas and place topsoil meeting the requirements of the contract. This Change Order only encompassed the area outside the planting as shown on the typical planting detail.
An increase of 2 Working Days was allowed for this Change Order.
Increase $15,084.00
CHANGE ORDER NO. 6
The plans indicated that the proposed 18 inch storm sewer crossing Second Street at Station 59+58 was to drain into a proposed manhole which was to be constructed over an existing combination sewer. However, when work began, it was discovered that there was a brick vault present and that several unaccounted for utilities were present at this location which prevented the installation of the proposed 18 inch pipe at the specified grades. It was agreed to modify the precast manhole to fit the existing vault and lay the 18 inch storm sewer at a lower elevation in order to avoid utilities.
An increase of 2 Working Days was allowed for this Change Order.
Increase $15,360.42
Additional comments were as follows:
Some Department personnel felt that there was poor coordination between the City and the Department. The contractor for the Commonwealth Convention Center didn’t close Third Street until two or three months after the specified date. Also, the Department should take a closer look at the time that is allotted for this type of project. It was mentioned that the contractor could have finished the project by the specified completion date of December 1, 1997 without being compensated for schedule acceleration if better coordination concerning phasing requirements occurred between the Department and the City of Louisville.
Utilities were a problem on this project because they were not always located where they were indicated on the project plans.
Some district personnel felt that the specification for "overhaul" is vague in the description and should be reviewed for a clarification of the intent of the specification.
According to Section 724.03.08 of the Kentucky Standard Specifications, the Department requires a "period of establishment" for plantings that follows the completion of the initial planting. Maintenance items such as weeding, mowing, watering, periodic bracing, and insect and disease control may be required during this "period of
establishment" which could be 1 to 3 growing seasons, depending on the total number of items planted. However, there appears to be no agreement in place within the Cabinet that specifies the agency responsible for the care and maintenance of plants after the completion of the "period of establishment". On this particular project, an abundance of the shrubs that were planted died in a relatively short time. District personnel do not have a clear understanding of where the responsibility lies for these plantings.
Project Statistics are as follows:
Total Length=0.207 Miles
Contractor: Highway Structures, Inc.
4623 Illinois Avenue
Louisville, Kentucky 40213
Original Contract Amount $1,216,999.99
Total Change Order Amount $ 289,845.75
Total Revised Contract Amount $1,506,845.74
The attendance of all participants in this post-construction review is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
J. M. Yowell, P.E.
State Highway Engineer
BY: John B. Sacksteder, P.E.
Director, Division of Highway Design
JMY:JBS:jjf
cc: C. Raymer S. Cornett D. Newman R. Divine D. Kratt
A. Johannes Jim Stone J. Mettille C. Knowles G. Sharpe
B. Sanders R. R. Meyer K. Villier Highway Structures, Inc.