Project Remediation Bumps-up RCR Construction Budget Costs

Brown and Caldwell’s Kelly Comstock, a managing consultant on Paulding’s Richland Creek reservoir project, updated the Paulding Board of Commissioners last week on RCR progress and noted some recent construction issues identified at the site.
The RCR project continues on time and remains on track with its projected $215 million total budget, Comstock reported but has offered up some added ways for engineers on the project to earn their salaries. Two agenda items called for budget adjustments totaling just over $2,400,000. The first RCR agenda item called for commissioners to approve “Change Order Number 4” to the contract with PC Construction in the amount of $986,129.20.
“This actually covers four different items,” Comstock said, which he explained were needed for surge system additions and subsurface remediation at the Etowah River Intake and Pump Station. Another agenda item “Change Order Number 3” would amend the contract with Brad Cole Construction for rock anchors and structural modifications to the Reservoir Principal Outlet Structure (POS) in the amount of $1,420,156.00. “...during construction a design flaw was identified in the POS by designer Arcadis. Their analysis indicated that during full pool, waves induced by an earthquake could create a scenario where the tower could tip over,” Comstock said, a costly fix since the tower is already in place. Comstock reported that the resolution involves installing a series of rock anchors and major corbels to provide the necessary support.
As it was a design flaw, Arcadis will compensate the county for about $721,000 associated with the remediation. Total cost for the work encompassed by the change order is $1,420,156. Both agenda items have approved the board with a vote of 5-0 during last week’s afternoon voting session.

PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION
The RCR is located on approximately 700-acres of county-owned land in northern Paulding County, in the Post 4 district. The project’s lineage involves a pump station at the Etowah River, three miles long, then another pump station in the reservoir that will pump water out into the treatment plant, and then another pump station that sends the water through 12 miles of pipe to Dallas. A major segment of the Richland Creek Water Supply Program construction runs along Hwy 61 (Cartersville Highway) between Dallas and the reservoir site near the Bartow County line.
Construction to install the 11-mile pipeline section was expected to take approximately 12 months to complete. Were that to remain on track, that phase of the project would finish by the end of the year. In his report last week Comstock said that 17 of the 23 pipeline paths at road and stream crossings had thus far been completed, and 30,000 [linear feet] of the total 56,800 has been completed, and work is also beginning on the Phase Two section of pipeline. That section runs from Walraven Road into Dallas and is the final -- and shorter - - section of pipeline to be completed.
The traffic flow and regulation are controlled by GDOT as it’s a state route, explained earlier this year by County Operations Manager Scott Greene. Greene headed Paulding’s DOT before moving into his current role with the county late last year.
Greene said that [GDOT] have their protocols to follow and only work with local DOT when they cross a local road and have to re-route traffic. But GDOT policies are being observed to minimize wait times where any active construction necessitates lane closures, he said.
Comstock told Paulding commissioners last week that a moveable traffic signal has been working well in connection with construction-related road closures. GDOT also advised that because schools are back in session, roads be left open between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to accommodate school buses.
Comstock also announced last week that tours of the WTP, intake, and Dam will be offered on Friday, Oct. 19, with the first tour beginning at 12 noon. Visitors must sign up for the 100 slots available. That could be accessed as of this week on the RCR website at rcrwater.com. For questions regarding the Hwy 61 pipeline phase, and for up-to-date traffic impacts, visit www.facebook.com/RCRWater.