Willow Branch Creek / Riverside Avenue Project

[bencrix]

Does anyone know the full story of culvert and pedestrian bridge "upgrade" that's been going on here (http://goo.gl/maps/nTjdq) at Riverside Avenue and Willow Branch Avenue?

The Resident has covered the story here: http://goo.gl/mkiVAy (June) and here: http://goo.gl/O3IRGO (July). It first reported what the City has called "unforseen underground conditions" then "acts of god" (both hell and heaven seem to be involved).

Significant erosion and sedimentation appears to have resulted in an already seemingly impaired creek getting much worse.

What is the prognosis?

Meanwhile, with Riverside Ave. severed and road projects on St. Johns Ave. and elsewhere on Riverside Avenue, the value of a dense street grid for alleviating traffic congestion is being proved daily.

I found this document from many years ago that illustrates what is probably now considered a preliminary design for the project: http://goo.gl/9ZOz0c.

[fieldafm]

Hate to pile on Public Works, but the contractor doing the work for this project has been awful.  Every day, it seems to get worse.

COJ has received several complaints about this botched work and even worse site conditons.  Up until a week or so ago the City said that the work was 'just wrapping up'.  Rode my bike over there on Saturday and it looked worse than it did two weeks ago.

[Jumpinjack]

I don't know how this is not a major water quality violation. The piled up dirt and broken concrete seems destined to end up in the creek and then the river.

[Josh]

I love how they have Riverside and Willow Branch mixed up on the first image in that document. Certainly telling of things to come.

[cline]

I don't know how this is not a major water quality violation. The piled up dirt and broken concrete seems destined to end up in the creek and then the river.

I thought I heard somewhere that the contractor was cited due to the sediment being allowed to dump into the creek.  Total botch job by the contractor.  Must have been a low-bid.  You get what you pay for.

[fsujax]

it's always the low bid for contruction jobs. mostly for the worst as in this case.

[bencrix]

The second Resident article posted above refers to citations / fines, but no specifics. I'm curious if there is a plan to remediate the creek once the culvert / road work is completed. There's another thread active about deficiencies in Willowbranch Park. If the fines don't go towards remediation, there is a worthy cause.

[mtraininjax]

What I love is that St. Johns is under construction between the Hospital and Cherry, so you cross Willow Branch on St. Johns headed east, then you head north on Cherry, to turn right down Riverside and encounter all the lovely re-construction of Riverside, which will need to be repaved.

Great planning public works to re-route traffic, and school starts in a few days. Nice planning!

[Jumpinjack]

It is crazy lack of planning. Every detour sign in town is being used here. Doesn't it make you glad that you live where there is a street grid instead of a cul-de-sac.

[Cheshire Cat]

We are lacking responsible and aggressive oversight on city contracts.  Messes like this end up costing taxpayers more and more money and in this case the impact is also environmental. Are there contractual agreements and benchmarks not being met?   The thing to do would be to blitz the members of council with this concern pointing to oversight, costs and environmental impact. 

http://www.coj.net/city-council/city-council-members.aspx

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I'm just going to toss this one out there...

Can anyone pull up the RFP that was put out regarding this bid?  I know everyone likes to blame the contractors for shoddy work and how many corners were cut regarding the bid, hell... I scream and jump up and down as much as the rest of you.  But when you track documentation back to the origination on some of these really f-d up projects you will usually find that the request wasn't nearly as specific or detailed as it should have been.

Most of these jobs are bid from the info at hand, and if they were bidding 'normal' roadwork (of which I have ZERO experience in), start the job and then start hitting these 'snags'... not all of the fault always lies with the winning contractor.

Again, I have no personal knowledge on the project or the type of work that these guys do or even if the contractor is local or not.  But what I do know is that a lot of the time, the local guy, with personal knowledge of the area/building/site/etc...  will bid higher and lose because they know EXACTLY what they're in for.

[Cheshire Cat]

I'm just going to toss this one out there...

Can anyone pull up the RFP that was put out regarding this bid?  I know everyone likes to blame the contractors for shoddy work and how many corners were cut regarding the bid, hell... I scream and jump up and down as much as the rest of you.  But when you track documentation back to the origination on some of these really f-d up projects you will usually find that the request wasn't nearly as specific or detailed as it should have been.

Most of these jobs are bid from the info at hand, and if they were bidding 'normal' roadwork (of which I have ZERO experience in), start the job and then start hitting these 'snags'... not all of the fault always lies with the winning contractor.

Again, I have no personal knowledge on the project or the type of work that these guys do or even if the contractor is local or not.  But what I do know is that a lot of the time, the local guy, with personal knowledge of the area/building/site/etc...  will bid higher and lose because they know EXACTLY what they're in for.

There would have to be a contract agreement after the RFP.  That should be the document that spells out the work required of the contractor on this job.  The bidding contractor is supposed to have been vetted and on a city bidders list to turn in a RFP unless that requirement has changed.  All city contracts are not online but you can request a copy of one via the city under the Sunshine law.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

No, I understand the basics on how it works.  I'm just throwing it out there regarding the actual wording of the RFP and for that matter, since you bring it up, I'm sure the contract is being examined a bit closer now as well.  By both parties.

I mean in 99% of the cases, the bottom man on the totem pole is screwed, due that 'contractual language' that always states:  any unforeseen circumstance that arises are the responsibility of __________.

It's usually before:  progress payments will be made within 30 days of receiving funds

and after:  no additional work will be started without the execution of a signed change order

[Cheshire Cat]

It is certainly possible.    I have seen some wacky RFP's.

[riverkeepered]

On this job, the contractor plain and simply did not take appropriate measures to prevent siltation.  Yes, we have had some heavy afternoon storms, but this is Florida.   This must be anticipated. Not only did the contractor not install the proper BMP's from the get go, they repeatedly failed to sufficiently address the problem after numerous wash-outs, complaints from neighbors, and warnings from inspectors.  The City is supposedly taking enforcement action, but no word yet on the fines or mitigation that will be required.   Unfortunately, we now only have 2 inspectors for all of Jacksonville, at a time when construction is starting to pick up again.   Construction-site runoff is fairly easy and cost-effective to manage, but education and enforcement are critical.  Also, we must crack down on rogue contractors by not allowing them to bid on City contracts in the future.   If we don't work harder to prevent these type of problems, it will only result in signficant environmental impacts to our waterways and costly remediation and restoration efforts. Wasn't it Ben Franklin who said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"?