Ringgold finalizes Chapman Road project off U.S. Highway 41
After months of work, the city of Ringgold finally closed out the details of its Chapman Road project off U.S. Highway 41, which has created a much easier travel path for residents of the Callaway Farms community.
The project, which included the raising of the road, adding turn lanes to, and box culverts under the road, has been a well received by residents and has seemingly solved the flooding problems that used to plaque the road.
The City Council recently approved a change order, which included a little more cost than initially thought, but closes out the much needed project.
“The final change order includes providing 73 additional days, and increasing the contract from $932,933,96 by $13,387.06, making the final total $946,321.02,” City Manager Dan Wright said. “The reason behind the change order was to shift the alignment to expedite the gas line relocation. That gas line in front of the title pawn and sales lot for Worley’s Used Cars...that was going to be a major holdup there, and by shifting the alignment over to the west side of 41 Highway, it expedited that project.
Wright says other minor issues came up during the project that also added some costs.
“The widening Chapman Road to allow for the right and left-hand turns on exiting Chapman Road was another item, and then the undercut excavation required by GDOT (Georgia Department of Transportation) for some substandard grade,” Wright said.
Wright added that as soon as the guard rails were in place on the road, one was struck by a vehicle and had to be repaired.
“All those things are the reason for the additional $13,387.06, but this will completely close out this project,” he said.
Many of the residents and those associated with residents of the Chapman Road area are very pleased with the work.
Henry Whittaker, who has family members living in the Lone Mountain senior living complex off Chapman, says the roadwork has made things a lot easier for him.
“You used to have to wait a long time to get in and out right there by the Sonic,” Whittaker said. “They’ve done great work there, and it’s made things so much better. The road doesn’t flood out, and I don’t dread the traffic there as much as I used to.”