The fear of escalating costs prompted the Board of County Supervisors to approve several measures to forward the highly-anticipated Rollins Ford Road extension to Vint Hill Road.
At the Sept. 25 meeting, the Board discussed the awarding of the construction contract, the transferring of funds to pay for increased costs and the authorization of condemnation to acquire additional properties.
Despite the awarding of the $15,096,159.09 construction contract to the Shirley Contracting Corporation of Lorton, the County will be forced transfer funds from other projects to pay for additional costs of constructing two bridges, the widening of sections of Vint Hill Road and site preparation for the future Rollins Ford Community Park.
While the original cost of the project was projected to be $12,002, 675, the current total of $21, 495,990.82 reflects these new concerns.
The BOCS voted unanimously to approve the transfer of $7, 370,657.82 from the Minnieville Road (Spriggs Road to Route 234) project and $2,122,658 from the Parks and Recreation Department.
The Rollins Ford Road improvement project consists of the widening of Rollins Ford Road to accommodate a four-lane divided highway from Vint Hill Road to the intersection of Song Sparrow Drive and Yellow Hammer Drive.
To obtain the necessary property to further the development of the project, Supervisors also voted to approve the acquisition of property along Vint Hill Road through the use of their condemnation and quick-take powers.
Jason Hickman, an attorney representing Frances E. Chilian and Nancy E. Wiita, the owners of several of those properties, appealed to the Supervisors to delay a vote until all provisions of the negotiations are satisfied.
“Ms. Wiita and Chiian have already given substantial property,” Hickman sad. “To get Rollins Ford Road into place, it’s going to have further impact on their property and the considerations given at this point need to be further enhanced.”
According to county documents, the properties and compensation include:
14502 Vint Hill Road owned by Frances E. Chilian, Trustee, and Nancy E. Wiita, Trustee (offered $19,500)
14520 Vint Hill Road owned by Frances E. Chilian, Trustee, and Nancy E. Wiita (offered $40,526)
14570 Vint Hill Road by owned by Frances E. Chilian, Trustee, and Nancy E. Wiita (offered $39,400)
Chairman At-Large Corey Stewart agreed with the property owners request and proposed keeping the public hearing open on the matter until it can be resolved; perhaps as long as one week.
However, it was the consensus of the remaining Supervisors that the Board has a good track record in settling these disputes and further delaying construction contracts could lead to additional costs.
To reassure Stewart, PWC Director of Transportation Thomas Blazer added, “It is a compensation issue and 99 percent of the time we will work this out while we go forward with the acquisition; I’m very comfortable that we’ll be able to do that in this instance.”
Ultimately the measure to authorize condemnation of the properties passed 7-1, with Steward being the lone opposing vote.
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