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“The tape doesn’t lie,” said Doug Janes after measuring asphalt at Joe Davis Park. |
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In what may have been his final act as a Lewiston town councilman, Mike Marra told the Niagara Falls Reporter that he has instructed town engineer, Bob Lannon, of CRA Engineering, to make a complete examination of the failed parking lot at Joe Davis Park.
"Mr. Lannon told me that he could definitely ascertain whether the town got the contracted asphalt or if the town was cheated in any way," Marra said.
Town Highway Supt. Doug Janese measured the asphalt at select locations at Joe Davis Park and found that in areas where the parking lot failed there was less than the contracted amount of asphalt.
The parking lot, which was paved with an asphalt binder, but without a topcoat, was paved by Ken Young Paving just two years ago.
The contract called for 2.5 inches of asphalt binder compacted to 2 inches. In the presence of the Niagara Falls Reporter more than a dozen tests were made and in every instance there was less than the contracted amount.
In a number of places there was less than half an inch.
Questions about the parking lot arose after several large trucks owned by Suit-Kote Construction created large ruts in the Joe Davis lot by driving on it.
Young told the Reporter that he did indeed apply the contracted amount on the 192,000-square-foot lot and welcomed a test to prove it.
Young said, “In some places there may be a little less, but in other locations I put on as much as 10 inches to get a smooth, even surface.”
Marra said Lannon is expected to test the lot in the next week or two.
Former Supervisor Steven L. Reiter told the Reporter that no one from the town inspected the work when it was originally performed in August 2012, despite it being standard procedure on government jobs to inspect work before, during, and after any paving job when public money is used.
The paving job cost the town $189,000. Young was the low bidder, coming in more than $32,000 lower than the next lowest bidder, Mark Cerrone Inc. whose bid was $221,000.
According to Janese, the cost of the asphalt, had it been laid according to the contract, would have been around $180,000.
Lannon will test the lot using core-samples to determine the depth of the asphalt, according to Marra.
"By using a set pattern similar to a grid, the engineer can get an accurate picture of what the thickness may be," Janese said.
Marra resigned last week. |
