Ridgedale Sidewalk Replacement Cost Increases

The cost of a sidewalk replacement project for Ridgedale Avenue in Florham Park from the borough driveway to Village Road turned out to be more expensive than originally planned.

The governing body at its meeting Thursday approved a resolution authorizing a change order to a bid award contract with Midwest Construction Inc., agreeing to pay $33,808.76 more than the original contract price of $153,649.19.

The resolution says the borough engineer made the recommendation to pay for additional hot mix asphalt driveways repairs, curbing, sidewalk and police traffic director hours, and the chief financial officer certified funds are available for that purpose.

The increase comes to 22 percent of the original amount, while local public contract law permits change orders that do not exceed 20 percent of the original amount, the resolution says.

Councilman Charles Germershausen cast the only "No" vote on the resolution. Additional information was not immediately available.