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Work approved

While they had concerns, city council approved nearly $1 million for a major road project that went over budget. The first phase of Golf Links Road is now more than $7.8 million after more material was needed than original estimates called for.
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City engineering manager Pat Mauro. (Jamie Smith, tbnewswatch.com)

While they had concerns, city council approved nearly $1 million for a major road project that went over budget.

The first phase of Golf Links Road is now more than $7.8 million after more material was needed than original estimates called for. City engineering manager Pat Mauro told council Monday night that Golf Links was one of the largest road projects the city has done. Most of the cost overruns had to do with more pavement and gravel needed for intersections like the one at Harbour Expressway.

Coun. Andrew Foulds said the city trusts consultant and engineering reports to reflect the cost council is given.

“I’m disappointed that we seem to be so far under the estimate,” he said.

Coun. Larry Hebert said he’s received calls from the public that the pavement is already cracking. Coun. Rebecca Johnson asked if that’s normal.

“It’s a brand new road that cost several million one has to question how it was built,” she said.

Mauro said he drives the road every day and hasn’t seen any problems but crews will review the work in the spring.

A report to council stated that despite the Golf Links project being over budget, over more than a decade engineering projects show a favourable variance of $4.4 million. 

The overrun was supposed to delay around $540,000 in road work for Leslie Avenue and Brown Street until 2015. But councillors voted to take money from the Renew Thunder Bay to make sure the work is done this year.





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