(Cleveland)- City officials in Cleveland are concerned about the reported increase in the utility relocation cost for phase II of the Cleveland bypass. The Georgia Department of Transportation is scheduled to let bids on the next bypass phase in November. Monday night during a city council meeting City engineer Brian Rindt told the council that the utility relocation cost for the next phase has increased from $428-thousand dollars to $1.2 Million dollars.
In the past the GDOT said they would cover that cost, now Rindt said GDOT officials say there is
no guarantee that they will pick up that extra cost. During the meeting Rindt said, “ our estimator says there’s no way it’s going to be one-point-two million, if they bid it today it would be well less than that, so its almost like, you know why are we playing with the numbers why don’t you just bid it out and pay for it.”
The council is concerned if the GDOT doeesn’t cover the extra cost, it would be left up to the city. Councilman Rush Mauney said, “ we don’t any money to pay it.” Rindt advised he will be following up on this with GDOT officials.
One of the possible reasons for the extra cost, is that the GDOT has extended phase II to go beyond highway 129 and up a short section of Hulsey Road. The Highway 129 intersection has a lot of utilities that could impact the project cost.