Hertel Improvements Getting Closer
Eric Ortner
North Buffalo Rocket / West Side TimesMarch 2000: The long awaited Hertel Improvements are soon to begin. TVGA Engineering, the firm responsible for the project has finished its design plans. Moreover, the construction contract has been advertised.
This has given possible contractors the chance to study the design plans so that they can formulate their bids. Preston Halstead, the Project Manager from TVGA said, "We're planning on having the bid opening on March 22, at 11 a.m." He continued, "We will take those bids from the contractors and open them and see who is the lowest bidder."
However, the date of the actual construction is only tentative. Mr. Halstead explained, "The date kind of depends on a couple of things. First of all, hopefully the bids aren't too high. There can be some other problems. Sometimes the bids can be unbalanced. A contractor might have one item that he is bidding way too high on and another thing that he is bidding way too low on. We have to look at things to make sure that nothing is out of wack; that everything is in order, if you will. If that is the case, then it should just be a matter of doing the standard processing of the construction contract through the city and through the state. We hope to be starting construction sometime in April."
There is a great amount of concern over this project from area businesses and residents alike. To ensure the final outcome is something that the people want, a Project Advisory Board was set up.
Some of its members included people from the East Hertel Community Organization such as Joe Willett, Nancy Snyders and Joyce Baer, Representatives from the Hertel-North Buffalo Business Association like Roberta Mustachia, Robert Colisanti, Frank Perelvo, Berry Cohen, Randy Paul and Craig Paladino, were also largely involved. Tim Trabold from the Greater Buffalo Niagara Region Transportation Council was also on the board, as were Councilmember Coppola and Louis Gairdina from the Department of Labor relations.
Once construction officially begins, there will be a place to go if there are complaints. Preston Halstead said, "We're going to have an inspection office on site during construction. There will be several inspectors and they will be all working for the resident engineer, so as issues or problems come, both residents and business people would be able to contact the inspector. We don't have an office set up yet, but that information will be forthcoming."
The first leg of the construction will take place from Starin-Admiral. It is expected that the inconvenience of construction in this area of Hertel Avenue will last three months.Preston Halstead concluded, "One point I would make as a plug, this is right on schedule.
Assuming everything comes out right with the bids, what we've been telling public works and everybody else right along is that we would be starting construction in April or May of 2000."
