Title
Department of Transportation recommending the Board approve and authorize the Board Chair to retroactively execute Contract Change Order 8 with Doug Veerkamp General Engineering in the amount of $235,339.54 related to the Newtown Road at South Fork Weber Creek Bridge Replacement Project, Capital Improvement Program 36105030, Contract number 5379. (4/5 vote required)
(District 3)
FUNDING: Regional Surface Transportation Program Advance (7%) (State Funds), Highway Bridge Program (87%) (Federal Funds), Tribe (6%) (Local Funds).
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Newtown Road at South Fork of Weber Creek - Bridge Replacement Project (Project) replaces the existing bridge over the South Fork Weber Creek (Bridge No. 25C0033, PM 4.4). The Project includes widening the bridge and realigning Newtown Road at the approaches on both sides, installing safety railing, and upgrading drainage and retaining wall systems.
On November 12, 2024 (Legistar 24-1877, Item 35), the Board awarded contract 5379 for the Project to Doug Veerkamp General Engineering (DVGE). The original contract price was $4,499,980.70. Pursuant to Board Resolution 102-2012, the maximum authority delegated to the Director of Transportation for approval of a single contract change order (CCO) is $210,000.
CCO 8 is required to compensate DVGE for excavating through unexpectedly hard rock during construction. The Project's Foundation Report anticipated some hard rock during footing excavation, particularly near the southeasterly wingwall. However, construction revealed much harder rock than expected that could not be excavated with conventional means across the entire easterly half of the bridge site, including both the northeasterly and southeasterly wingwalls. Despite utilizing some of the largest commercially available excavators operated by experienced personnel.
Given the contractual requirement to reopen Newtown Road by June 15, 2025, the Contractor mobilized additional specialized equipment, implemented double shifts, and initiated weekend work to stay on schedule. Even after switching to hydraulic hammers, excavation productivity remained extremely low due to the density and lack of natural fractures in the rock. To accelerate progress, the Contractor retained a blasting subcontractor to drill relief holes ("Swiss-cheesing") to facilitate further mechanical excavation. Ultimately, the County approved controlled blasting operations to remove the remaining rock and meet the Project's internal milestone of reopening Newtown Road by June 15, 2025.
As a result of the Contractor’s appropriately assertive reaction to the presence of the unexpected hard rock, the bridge was completed, and Newtown Road was successfully reopened to traffic on June 11, 2025, prior to the onset of fire season.
CCO 8 is presented retroactively because Transportation staff determined it was in the County's best interest to authorize the extra work prior to Board approval. Had staff delayed work for several weeks to seek Board approval of CCO 8, Newtown Road would have remained closed well past June 15, through July, and into August.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to approve the change order. Veerkamp would likely file a claim against the County to recover the funds.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
November 12, 2024 - Legistar file 24-1877, Item 35 - Award of the Construction Contract to Doug Veerkamp General Engineering.
September 24, 2024 - Legistar file 24-1549, Item 22 - Approval and adoption of the Plans and Contract Documents and Authorization to Advertise the Project.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for this CCO is already included in the construction phase of the Project.
The construction budget for the Project in the 2025 CIP Book approved by the Board on July 15, 2025 (Legistar file 25-0504, Item 29) is $5,026,346. Costs-to-date (including CCO 8) are as follows:
Contract bid items: $ 4,499,980.70
Early Completion Incentive: $ 24,000.00
Contingency CCOs executed: $ 0
Contingency CCO 8: $ 235,339.54
Total estimated direct construction cost: $ 4,759,320.24
Adequate funding for CCO 8 remains in the Project’s construction budget. No additional funding is requested.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Board Chair's signature on CCO 8.
2) The Clerk of the Board will return a fully executed copy of CCO 8 to Transportation, Headington Engineering, attention Matt Gourley, for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Rafael Martinez, Director
Department of Transportation