Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Change orders on the West Whitman Street project at Palouse, which was done last summer, added $40,000 to the street-and-rail replacement project. The extra cost evolved after contaminated soil, a result of a two-inch gas pipe, was discovered last summer during construction. Two dump truck loads of dirt were dug up and sent to Lewiston for required testing.
“It was pure petroleum product,” said engineer Munir Daud.
The dirt samples showed the contamination was limited.
“It didn’t move from where we found it,” said Daud. “It usually follows the groundwater, but this time it didn’t.”
The added $40,000 cost will go to contractor M.L. Albright & Sons of Lewiston. The state Transportation Improvement Board, which paid for much of the total project, has agreed to cover the extra cost.
The overall project included a 550-foot section of street and railroad tracks with a new drainage system, sidewalks, curb, gutter and lighting.
Whitman Street crosses Palouse at Highway 27 where Banner Bank is located on one side and Kramer Funeral Home across the street.
Leading up to construction, Washington State Department of Transportation completed its railroad engineering last February for the project and approved the overall street revitalization plan.
The original bid was $548,536.08.
In 2015, the Washington state legislature pledged $280,000 for West Whitman in Palouse as part of a $16 billion transportation package. The money paid for the railroad work to be done at the same time as the street work. Also in 2015, the project was approved for a grant through the Transportation Improvement Board. The $370,500 approval followed the denial of Palouse’s application in 2014.
WSDOT had already pledged $30,000 for the proposed project.
All told, the T.I.B. grant, state transportation money, D.O.T. money and $42,000 from the city of Palouse’s arterial streets fund covered all costs.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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