A special Scotts Bluff County Board meeting including an item on the need for a new engineer to oversee construction on Stegall Road evolved into further discussion on how the board-initiated and approved change to the inter-layer impacts the project.
During a conversation with Board members, Roads Superintendent Linda Grummert said the switch from a 3-R rehabilitation project from one of maintenance did not disqualify it from a state statute which says public works projects of $100,000 or more required involvement of an engineer. MC Schaff, which had overseen design and pre-construction work on the project, decided it would not take on oversight of construction after the Board approved the change order eliminating the original inter-layer in favor of using the FiberMat process offered as a less expensive alternative by Simon Contractors. The Nebraska Department of Transportation has used the process under the brand name SAFLEA in a number of locations, including work on Highway 26 between Scottsbluff and Mitchell.
Chair Ken Meyer asked a line of questions of how the change approved by the board made it different from Sugar Factory Road, yet it ended with the design firm stepping aside:
In an exchange between Grummert, Meyer and Commissioner Russ Reisig, Grummert was asked again why the change from the original inter-layer to the Fibermat process meant the project no longer qualified as a 3-R rehabilitation of the roadway:
Toward the end of the discussion, Commissioner Charlie Knapper said he thought it was important that residents understand the commissioners know using the experimental inter-layer meant the county was participating in a long-term research project, but the decision was made in an effort to save taxpayers money, while ending with a serviceable roadway.
Another firm will be sought to oversee the construction portion of the project, with consideration of that issue expected during next week’s regular meeting, which is the same date as the scheduled start of construction.
