WELLINGTON NORTH ‒ The township's 2023 asphalt budget could increase by a quarter million dollars more than budgeted.
At an upcoming council meeting on Monday, township staff will ask the Wellington North council to approve increasing their budget for the 2023 asphalt program by an additional $262,885.98.
Paving eight roads total, the project was initially budgeted at $1,270,000 and is eight per cent higher than anticipated.
Township staff also recommend that council award the contract to E.C. King Contracting, a division of Miller Paving Limited.
While E.C. Contracting had the lowest bid, the project will cost $1,376,373.80, excluding tax.
“Additional budget has been requested, rounded to the nearest half-thousand, within the recommendation to allow for the asphalt tender overage amount as well as rural pulverizing and additional gravel,” said the report.
Of the eight projects proposed, six came in over budget.
On Wellington Street West, a “small patch” east of Queen Street West was budgeted at $4,500 but will cost $7,000, a 55 per cent increase.
The other roads included in the project are:
- Sideroad 5W – Landfill Entrance West to Concession 9
- Line 12 – County Rd 14 to County Rd 16
- Sideroad 7E – Highway 6 and Concession 2
- Dublin Street between Queen Street West to Princess Street
- Waterloo Street – Arthur Street to William Street
- Walton Street between Clarke Street to Tucker Street
- Adelaide Street between Clarke Street to Tucker Street
In 2022, $930,500 was allotted for nine asphalt projects across Wellington North.
Murray Group Ltd. submitted the least expensive tender for those projects with a bid of $1.29 million–a 50 per cent increase from the township’s 2022 budget.
According to the Ontario Asphalt Pavement Council's Asphalt Cement (AC) index, the price of AC has increased 68 per cent since 2018.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
