CONTRACTOR FOR STREET AT JACKSON AGREES TO REPAIRS

JACKSON - The paving contractor on Jackson's West Main Street improvement project agreed Monday to cut out and replace a portion of the defective concrete in the eastbound lane that does not meet city engineering specifications.

The agreement was reached Monday between the city and Jim Biethman, superintendent for SIS Inc. of Creal Springs, Ill. The Board of Aldermen had set Monday as the deadline for the contractor to accept the offer.

Acting City Engineer Rich Bowen said SIS will replace all of the center half of pavement in the eastbound lane of Main Street, from its intersection with Missouri west to the Hubble Creek bridge. In addition, the contractor will remove and replace sections of pavement on Main Street in the vicinity of Courthouse Square that will eliminate two and possibly three low spots in the pavement where water may accumulate.

Bowen estimated it will cost the contractor about $25,000 to replace the defective portions of pavement.

He said replacement of the defective pavement will eliminate the worst section of the rough, uneven pavement, although there will still be some roughness in the parking lane. But it will not be as noticeable, he said.

"We'll improve the quality of the ride, and more importantly we'll have a true centerline grade to work from when we place the remaining westbound lane," said Bowen.

Bowen said the defect in the pavement was a series of "humps" that were created each time SIS' paving machine stopped during the paving process. He said the problem occurred because SIS did not operate the paver on a wire guide.

"They also made too many stops," Bowen said. "Maybe at times they had to stop because there was no concrete, but on the other hand I saw lots of times when the paving machine was stopped and the concrete trucks were there."

"I understand there is a dispute between the contractor and Delta Cement Co. (of Cape Girardeau) as to the delivery of the cement the day the pavement was poured, but I am not a part of the dispute, and that's all I know."

A city alderman said Monday that Delta Cement was informed by the contractor that a test pour would be made the day the street paving began. Based on that knowledge, the alderman said the concrete company allocated several mixer trucks to the Jackson project and assigned its other trucks to other projects.

The alderman said when the contractor unexpectedly decided to continue with the paving Delta Concrete did not have enough mixer trucks available at first to keep the paving machine supplied with cement.

City officials expressed satisfaction with the agreement worked out with SIS. They said the agreement should allow the street paving to continue on schedule and be completed in time for Jackson Homecomers Aug. 13.

While the defective pavement is being removed and repoured by hand, Bowen said work will continue on the curbs and gutters for the westbound lane from High Street to Hubble Creek bridge.