Vienna officials in March held a dedication ceremony for the long-delayed replacement bridge linking the Washington & Old Dominion Regional Trail with the historic Freeman Store & Museum.
The Vienna Town Council completed one final task regarding the bridge Aug. 26 when it agreed to pay the contractor an additional $16,341 to close out the contract.
The contract’s final cost of $309,281 was 22 percent higher than the $252,732 originally approved by the Council in January 2022. Council members later adjusted the price to $292,640 to make up for unanticipated Fairfax County permitting requirements, further design work and additional construction expenses.
The additional $16,341 approved by the Council Aug. 26 compensated the contractor, Franco’s Liberty Bridge Inc., for having to remobilize for the project after the lengthy permitting process shut down the initiative for several months and led to further change-order costs.
Officials with the Vienna Department of Public Works sought the additional money at the contractor’s request, calling the amount “fair and reasonable.”
Council member Howard Springsteen lamented the project’s overall cost, which rose precipitately over several years as previous attempts to complete it fell through.
“Our staff hustled as much as possible, but nothing went right,” he said. “We’ve got to spend money to get things done.”
The Council approved the extra spending on a 6-1 vote, with member Sandra Allen voting nay.
