Otter Springs Road surfacing started

By John M. Ayers

The Gilchrist County Board of County Commissioners was brought up to date on the reconstruction of SW 70 St and north on SW 80th Ave. to the entrance of Otter Springs Park by Transportation Superintendent Billy Cannon during their Monday, June 7th meeting. Lee Mills, Engineer with Gilchrist County on this project, reported the surfacing by John C. Hipp Construction is expected to begin by June 14 with culverts and block construction. The surface treatment will include a slag rock material covering the 1.5 miles of current limerock grade. The work on this Gilchrist County and Suwannee River Water Management District project is expected to be completed within six weeks.
In another road construction project involving county roads, the Board of Commissioners reviewed four bids for the resurfacing of SW 20th St. (Sun Springs Road). Lee Mills, an engineer hired by Gilchrist County involving road construction, reported the project had four construction companies submitting sealed bids for this work. The bids received were from: APAC-Southeast Inc. $95,393.17; John C. Hipp Construction Co. $97,000.00; V.E. Whitehurst & Sons, Inc. $97,377.30; and Anderson-Columbia Co. Inc. $121,656.57. Mills told the board that these bids were all within the requirements of the contract. “These are the best estimates for paving that I have seen in many years,” Mills explained to the board.
The Commission asked the engineer about the low bidder and if he had any experience involving this company and their work? Mills explained “APAC-Southeast has done a lot of construction work in Alachua County and throughout North Central Florida; they do good work.” He also pointed out to the board that the resurfacing work that needed to be done on Sun Springs Road was bid at 1.25” thickness of asphalt, but cost could be reduced if the Commission wanted just 1” of material on the road. The Commission asked Lee Mills what he recommended for this road in the condition it is in. “This road will last the county longer if you resurface it with 1.25” of asphalt,” Mills explained. Commissioner Randy Durden made a motion to approve the bid by APEC-Southeast for $95,393.17 for the 1.5-1.75 miles of roadway. Commissioner Kenrick Thomas agreed with a second, and the board voted 5-0 to approve the project. The resurfacing of this road is expected to begin within six weeks following the acceptance of the project by the construction company.
Commissioner Sharon Langford asked Road Superintendent Cannon about a portion of highway on CR 232 east of US 129 where it is being abused by heavy equipment using the road. Cannon told the board that he had researched the use where the equipment was driving into the property, and he believed it was a tractor and liquid hauling trailer that belonged to North Florida Dairy near Bell.
Cannon reported he had the County Attorney John McPherson ride with him to review the damage on the road prior to this meeting. “There is a lot of damage being done with this heavy equipment to this highway surface,” McPherson explained to the Commission. The Florida State Statute identifies this as an illegal use for equipment to operate on highway if it is abusing the roadway surface, the attorney explained.
Cannon reported that he had talked to Managing Partner Don Bennink about the equipment tearing up the highway. Cannon pointed out that he and Mr. Bennink had measured the wheel base of the trailer estimated to carry 10,000 gallons of liquid and it was 6-8 inches wider than the roadway surface from the center line to the shoulder of the highway.
The attorney explained to the Commission that this could be a safety hazard if the tanker is wider that the roadway surface. “When this becomes a safety issue it needs to be corrected,” Commissioner Sharon Langford explained to the board. McPherson told the Commission the owner of the equipment can be issued a traffic citation for the abuse to the roadway, and the citation could require the owner to pay for the repair of the roadway.
Commission Chairman D. Ray Harrison, Jr. asked the board if they were in agreement to have Don Bennink attend the next Commission meeting to discuss the problem involving the equipment on the roadway. McPherson was asked to send Mr. Bennink a letter requesting him to attend the June 21 Gilchrist County Commission meeting.