Oak Ridge North approves 4-month extension on Robinson Road realignment

Oak Ridge North City Council approved a 133-day extension on its Robinson Road realignment project following a number of utility and weather delays.

What you need to know

Public Works Director James Corn said the project was already expected to have some delays due to inclement weather over the last several months. However, additional delays have been caused by issues with utility relocations because the new locations were still within the construction area for the Robinson Road realignment, officials said.

"I'm not surprised by any of this," Mayor Paul Bond said. "I mean, if you look at the city's history, the lack of maintenance on this thoroughfare, it's understandable."

The contract extension is only set for 133 days, but Corn said the city could see another project extension once work on the east side of Hanna Road begins. The extension also increased the overall cost of the project by $795,251.

What else?

The city also approved an increase to the cost of design services for a new City Hall building. The initial design contract was approved in January, but City Manager Heather Neeley said the contract had the incorrect funding amount for the design work.

The contract was initially approved at $175,000; however, Neeley said the actual cost would be $226,050.