Clarksburg Accepts Gates Avenue Bid; Still Over Budget

CLARKSBURG, Mass. – The Selectmen accepted the lowest bid of $439,545 to repair the Gates Avenue culvert.

However, the price is still over budget.

The Selectmen unanimously voted Thursday to award the bid to Virgilio Construction Co. Inc. with the anticipation of subjecting the project to a change work order.

“It is pretty clear that we don’t have the $439,000,” Town Administrator Carl McKinney said. “They are the lower bidder … and my recommendation is that we lock this bid in.”

The town has nearly $380,000 it can afford to spend on the project. Because of high bids, the town has had to rebid the project multiple times.

The old culvert is a cast-iron boiler put in place at least a half-century ago, headwalls have begun to deteriorate and its failure would leave no access for Gates Avenue homeowners.

McKinney said the town has $380,000 they can utilize from chapter 90 funds and another $65,000 that was appropriated at town meeting for immediate road repairs. The town could also hold a special own meeting to pull near $20,000 from stabilization.

“It is very important and imperative to get this project done before the snow flies,” McKinney said.

The initial cost to replace the culvert was near $114,000 however this price has jumped because state Department of Environmental Protection policy that required open-bottom culverts to be used in habitat areas.

The town feels that Wheeler Brook isn't conducive as a fish habitat because the water moves downhill along and under Houghton Street until it drops into the flood control chutes in North Adams. Once through the culvert, there's a 4-foot drop that fish would not be able to climb back up.

The town has met with DEP officials and reached out to its legislative representatives in an attempt change the ruling. McKinney also has sent a letter to Attorney General Maura Healey asking her to investigate the price increase on the culverts and the forced use.

McKinney said he will soon meet with engineers Foresight and Virgilio to discuss the change work order.