Plaza Blvd. project to cost more

Things appear to be wrapping up on the Plaza Boulevard extension project in terms of finalizing costs and schedules.

City Council recently approved a fifth change order to JTO Inc.’s contract for work associated with extending the road northwest of Route 20 to link to Tyler Boulevard, via Clover Avenue.

The order totals $216,138 and reflects the following changes:

• A 156-day extension of the contract completion date, the latest in a project that had been expected to start in 2013. (The original completion date was July 15, 2014. The new date is April 1, 2018.)

• Adjustments to line item quantities for actual quantities installed

• Asphalt pavement installed near and between the CSX and Norfolk Southern railroad tracks that was not part of the original contract ($75,000)

• Additional boring and conduit installation performed near and underneath CSX and NS railroad tracks ($155,000)

“We expect that this will be the final change order to the general contract for the Plaza Boulevard extension project,” City Manager Ken Filipiak told council.

“We hope,” a councilman replied.

Only one of the four previous change orders for JTO involved

an increase in the cost. That was the third change — adding about $190,000 to the contract to install street lighting.

The change order brings the final contract price to about $2.9 million. That number doesn’t include work by CSX and Norfolk Southern.

The city is reimbursing the railroads for their work. Overall, the city has invested roughly $4.8 million in construction-related costs.

A $76,500 change order was approved in September for CSX’s costs for flagging and inspection services required to complete its work.

“It is expected that CSX will finish their track crossing work by the end of January,” Mentor Engineer Dave Swiger said. “A live-testing

period will immediately follow. This period is estimated to last between 30 and 60 days.”

The revised completion date with JTO Inc. takes the final railroad work into account, he said. Still, an official opening date has yet to be announced.

“But we expect JTO and the railroads to be done by April 1,” Swiger said.

The project has been on the city’s radar since the 1980s as a way to speed safety forces to Tyler as well as ease traffic congestion at Route 20’s intersections with routes 306 and 615.

City leaders initially had hoped to have the extension under way in 2013 after being awarded a $900,000 Ohio Public Works Commission grant/loan. It also will be paid for with tax increment financing revenues and bond funding.

Preliminary work was started by CSX in 2016. Railroad representatives

noted the unique task of building a new crossing over two sets of tracks owned by different companies. Both not only had to install warning signals, but also to coordinate them.

Last month, council passed a resolution authorizing creation of a railroad quiet zone at the CSX and Norfolk Southern crossing being completed on the extension.

Council’s vote was the first step in the process of establishing the quiet zone, in which train horns are no longer routinely sounded when approaching a crossing. They still would be employed in emergencies.

The Federal Railroad Administration requires extra safety precautions, in addition to lights and gates, in order to allow a quiet zone. The extension project included raised medians in the center of the road at the crossing to prevent motorists from driving around downed gates.