Weirs Beach Boardwalk

[vmartino26]

Does anyone have any update on the reconstruction of the Weirs Beach Boardwalk? I believe I read in one of the local papers that the Laconia City Council had voted to transfer available funds for the project, but haven't read anything definitive on the subject. Does anyone have any more info? Thanks!

[mcdude]

Here's an UPDATE from the Citizen

[birchhaven]

Government work everything cost at least twice as much as it should.

[kjbathe]

But at least it will take two years to fix (if they can get it done next year).

The estimates don't surprise me, though. I recall prior stories providing some general numbers of the cost to make the repairs and how much money the city was planning to spend. I know that whenever I need to provide an estimate or look at a new job, I ask how much they have in their budget. And then I proceed to ask for all of it.

[Rattlesnake Guy]

Copied from the web site that handled the bidding.

Weirs Beach Boardwalk Repairs and Reconstruction

This project involves the repairs and reconstruction of 921 linear feet of the Weirs Beach Boardwalk, including installation of steel sheet piles and H piles; construction of concrete footings, grade beam and pile caps; construction of steel framing; replacement of timber decking and miscellaneous timber repairs, etc.; granite curbing; bituminous sidewalks; drainage (including structures, pipes and underdrain); landscaping (including grading, vegetation, loam and seeding); fencing; construction of modular concrete retaining wall; lighting; and general site work. The probable cost is $1,000,000-$1,200,000.

[mcdude]

Laconia Daily Sun

Council ready to borrow $400k to make sure boardwalk is fixed

LACONIA — The Laconia City
Council has scheduled a public hearing
for November 9 on a proposal
to authorize the borrowing of up to
$400,000. The borrowing would be in
the form of either a bond issue or a
note to a commercial bank. The funds
would be used, if needed, to complete
the reconstruction of that portion of
the Weirs Beach boardwalk that was
destroyed by flooding resulting from
torrential rains in August 2008.

City Manager Eileen Cabanel
explained that the reconstruction is
ready to begin. All of the engineering
has been completed, the project has
been put out to bid, and the bids have
been returned.
While the low bids were slightly
higher than the project had been estimated,
both Cabanel and Department
of Public Works Director Paul Moynihan
agreed that the increased cost
could be accommodated.
“The problem,” the City Manage
explained, “is with the funding for
the project that was promised by the
federal government. It appears that
approximately $300,000 of what was
promised may not be eligible. In any
event, if we get what has been promised,
it is certain that we will not
receive the money until next year at
the earliest.”
“Yet, here we are ready to start construction,”
Cabanel continued. “Unfortunately,
I am not comfortable signing
a contract for the work unless all of
the money for the contract is available
before I execute the documents.”
If approved by the council following
the public hearing on November
9, the $400,000 borrowing will ensure
that sufficient funds are available to
complete the $1.6-million project even
if the promised federal funds do not materialize.