Federal disaster recovery funds pay for roadwork project
ROWLESBURG — Work is underway to repair a slip on W.Va. 72 that reduces the road to one lane in that area.
BBR Drilling, of Belmont, Ohio, has the contract to do the repairs. The damage occurred during storms in February 2018.
The project is being paid for with federal disaster recovery funds. BBR’s bid was $361,328. There were no other bidders.
This section of Route 72 follows the Cheat River and is one of the main entry routes to the town of Rowlesburg and points south. The northbound lane, on the river side, fell away during the storms. Traffic has been guided around the spot by a temporary traffic light.
“Our best estimate is that [repairs] will be complete by mid- to late-January,” State Division of Highways Spokesman Brent Walker said in an email Friday.
A 150-foot pile wall is being built to repair the slip, Walker said.
Because the contractor did not complete the job by the time specified in the contract, a penalty of $150 per day has been imposed since Sept. 13. That totals about $11,500 so far, Walker said.
None of the fees have been paid yet, he said. They will be deducted from payments made to BBR, Walker said.
Asked if the contractor can appeal the penalties, Walker said, “Not really in this situation, since he started work after the planned completion date.”
