County awards road paving contract

By CARL E. FEATHER - Staff Writer - cfeather@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

June 30, 2009 08:11 pm

— JEFFERSON — Paving projects dominated the short agenda of the Ashtabula County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday.
Commissioners awarded a $230,506.35 contract to Koski Construction Co. of Ashtabula to pave three roads using asphalt:
n State Road, 0.36 miles;
n Clay Street, 2.42 miles; and
n Old Harpersfield Road, 0.64 miles.
Six bids were received for the project, ranging from Koski’s low bid, to $277,292 from Burton Scot Contractors.
The engineer’s estimate for the job was $248,733.
Commissioners also authorized County Engineer Timothy Martin to participate in the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Cooperative Purchasing Program, specifically for asphalt concrete mixes and other bituminous mixes. Martin, in a letter to commissioners, told them his department is interested in a new process ODOT has been using, and recently used to resurface a large portion of Interstate 75. The process has an estimated cost savings of about 15 percent over conventional paving methods, Martin told commissioners. He stated that while the process probably will not eliminate or replace conventional methods, his office always is looking for alternatives. The particular process Martin wants to explore is a polymer-modified emulsified asphalt binder and chip seal, with and without fiberglass fibers added, with a microsurface overlay.

Commissioners also ordered publication and bids for two stainless steel dump bodies, installed, for the engineer’s department. The bodies will be installed on heavy-duty tandem-axle trucks and are expected to cost $70,000.
In other action, commissioners held vacation hearings for two roads: an unnamed road in Monroe Township and a portion of Mercer Street in Jefferson Township.
The next scheduled agenda meeting is 1 p.m. July 7. The courthouse will be closed July 3 for the Independence Day holiday.