By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Two of this year’s most notable capital improvement projects in Whitewater — reconstructing Center and George streets — resulted in two different tales when all was said and done. City officials, however, said they were pleased overall with both projects.
The Center Street project, which also included portions of Boone Court and Boone Street, cost the city $12,000 more than anticipated. When the budget was built around the project, it was capped at $1.88 million. The work along George Street, by contrast, was about $40,000 under budget.
Assistant City Manager Chris McDonell, who discussed both projects with the Common Council at a meeting Sept. 6, said the cost overrun for the Center Street work was not a surprise when the news was delivered within city hall.
“Considering the project scope, necessary adjustments made during construction and the original cost estimate …staff is pleased with the end results, McDonell said.
All of the work along Center Street was completed by late August, McDonell said. The process was capped off with a formal walk-through and having project personnel comb through a punch-list of items.
Most of the work along George Street was also wrapped by late August, although a few items – most notably the installation of new railings – spilled over into the first half of this month. Although all of the significant work is now complete on both sets of projects, McDonell said there are a few unfinished items that will be tended to when warm weather resumes in 2017. He said project personnel will make one final intensive review of the work.
Additionally, the city is offered a guarantee the work will hold up for at least a year. McDonell said both projects are covered by a one-year warranty that sunsets next August, should anything unforeseen crop up.
