Although some Cobb residents weren't sure what to think about a roundabout being installed at the intersection of Holly Springs and Davis roads, District 3 Commissioner Joann Birrell said during Tuesday night's Board of Commissioner's meeting that she has heard nothing but positive feedback since the project has been finished.
"Not everyone was sure about it when we started," Birrell said. "It's been a great improvement."
The Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a final change order for the project with a savings to Cobb County of $47,577.68, which was due to variations between the original and final plan quantities, including an overrun in construction allowance.
The project was an intersection safety and operational improvement project included in the 2011 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax Transportation Improvements Program. In February, the Board of Commissioners approved a contract with C.W. Matthews Contracting Company, Inc. to remove the previous multi-way stop, and design and construct the roundabout.
The BOC approved five other transportation items, including awarding a contract with ECS Southeast, LLC for geotechnical engineering for bridge replacements on Pitner Road over Little Allatoona Creek and Paper Mill Road over Sope Creek. The contract amounts are not to exceed $20,000 and $27,560 respectively and include a bridge foundation investigation and a geotechnical engineering assessment at both locations.
In a related matter, the board approved a contract with AECOM Technical Services, Inc., for engineering design of the bridge replacement on Paper Mill Road over Sope Creek at a cost not to exceed $217,273.80. District 2 Commissioner Bob Ott said the original bridge was built in 1920 and the county has performed numerous maintenance projects on it. The replacement project originally was planned for the 2005 SPLOST but is being moved to the 2011 SPLOST since most of the original funding already has been expended on the structure.
In other business, the board voted to authorize a selection committee to negotiate scope, fees, and contract terms and conditions for architectural and engineering services related to new construction and renovation work at the Cobb County Health Department. The work is being funded through the 2011 SPLOST and is slated to being at the end of 2013 or beginning of 2014.
