Waynesburg considers rebidding Meadowlark Bridge project

The Waynesburg Borough Council is considering rebidding the Meadowlark Bridge replacement project following a significant increase in estimated costs. The original bid from Stefanik’s Next Generation was approximately $190,000, but recent quotes have risen to $377,000.

The cost increase follows a request from Norfolk Southern Railroad, the property lessee, for full-depth shoring with steel pilings to provide structural support. To address this, the Harshman CE Group proposed using caissons with abutments instead of shoring, an option estimated to cost between $80,000 and $100,000. Project engineer Rich Rush noted that the higher quote may be due to a combination of the original design being underbid and costs associated with project delays.

While borough solicitor Adam Belletti stated that rebidding is not legally required because the project remains substantially the same, the council has authorized Rush to contact other contractors. The goal is to determine if a new bidding process could result in significant savings for the borough.