Dec 02, 2019

Reinforced concrete box culvert project nearing completion on SW 70 Road

Posted Dec 02, 2019 10:30 PM

By COLE REIF

Great Bend Post


The reinforced concrete box culvert project on SW 70 Road, just west of Pawnee Rock is almost complete. It is a joint project with Pawnee County since it takes place on the Barton/Pawnee border. Barton County Engineer Barry McManaman says the staffs are now waiting for nice weather to put asphalt down and reopen the road.


A change order for extra reinforcing steel was necessary on the east box after there was a change in the design standards.


"There was a bar in the floor of the east box that needed to be lengthened," said McManaman. "The federal government has issued new guidelines, and if we did not lengthen those bars there was a chance we would have to put up weight limit signs, which would have been kinda silly on a brand new box."


Barton and Pawnee counties decided to lengthen the bars a couple of feet to avoid having to post weight limit signs.


The net cost of the additional steel is $418, with half of the cost being reimbursed by Pawnee County.


"L&M Contractors agreed to accept the unit price for the steel that they bid for the rest of the job," said McManaman.


Commissioners approved the change order. The final price with the change order takes the total to $129,059.


McManaman expected the road to be open to traffic within the next week or two.