By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The City of Great Bend has come to terms with another settlement in the mistakes that followed resurfacing the SRCA Dragstrip more than three years ago. EBH Engineers advised the city with the selection of Suchy Construction to perform the resurfacing. Several issues followed the completion of the project making the surface unsafe to use and forcing the cancellation of the last two race seasons.
Great Bend City Attorney Allen Glendenning told the council Monday night that the city has reached a general agreement with EBH for their portion of the lawsuit.
"To get to the exact number, there is an audit that needs to take place and other factor that need to take place," said Glendenning. "Essentially, it will be along the lines that we discussed in executive session. I would recommend that you authorize the mayor and attorneys to finalize the agreement."
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After the project was completed in May 2021, issues with high spots and needing to polish the concrete was brought to the attention of the SRCA Board and Great Bend City Council. The city has been working through lawsuits and arbitration claims for the past few years to determine who is at fault for a project completed that did not meet the dragstrip’s specifications.
Through a Kansas Department of Transportation Cost Share program, Great Bend was awarded funding for the reconstruction of the dragstrip. Suchy Construction handled the project for $1.6 million. An EBH engineer said in 2020 when Suchy Construction was awarded the bid that their firm would be testing for a special concrete mix that the NHRA recommended and the flatness would need to be tested.
No details of the settlement agreement or steps to potentially repair the track were revealed following the city council’s 10-minute executive session Monday night. In November, the council agreed with another settlement with Suchy Construction.