The City of Carroll has approved a professional services agreement with Shive Hattery on improvements at the Graham Park Creek. The total project is estimated at $241,393, however, there is a shortfall of approximately $38,900 in revenues to cover the cost of the project that aims to stabilize the shores and stop degradation. Daniel Jensen, a water resources engineer with Shive Hattery, says some of the shortfall came about due to a rise in construction costs during the pandemic. They have also added contingencies to cover any other unexpected expenses. He says it is still possible the project could come in under budget. For this portion of proposed work at Graham Park, they are anticipating bid assignment on Sept. 27, work to begin in mid-October with completion in mid-December. This revitalization project will be discussed for overall approval at the next Carroll City Council meeting, on Monday, Sept. 13. The other elements needing attention are the pedestrian bridges. Chris Marvin, a structural engineer with Shive Hattery, explains some of the problems that were identified with the bridges during a February assessment. He starts with the railings.
Another item of concern is significant rotting in some of the support portions of the structures. There are fixes that would solve the issue and allow retention of the existing bridges. The stone columns are also showing signs of degradation.
One of the main considerations is the retention of stone on the columns that has been an iconic decorative element at Graham Park for decades. Marvin says there is an option that address structural issues while retaining original stones.
Another option is to start over completely and tear out the old, columns included, and rebuild the bridges that then incorporate a new stone overlay. Shive Hattery will be putting together cost comparisons on these two options, refurbishing and replacement, and will present those to the Carroll City Council at a later date.
