PLANS to retrofit the redesigned Berri river-front precinct will go back out for public consultation after tenders for the deal came in significantly over budget.
At last week’s Strategy, Assets and Major Projects (SAMP) committee meeting, Berri Barmera councillors voted to consult with the community on the final costs of the project after the final tender amount came in at $250,000 despite an initial budget of $150,000.
Councillors also moved to obtain a “3D demonstration” of the retrofit and to seek defect remediation in the form of monetary compensation from the previous contractor.
Berri Barmera Council chief executive officer Karyn Burton said there was the potential for some savings to drive down the final cost of the project.
“There is quite an additional cost, with the tendered figure coming back at $250,000, but there’s the potential to reduce that by recouping some defect remediation from the previous contractors,” she said.
“We’re going to go out to the community and show them the plan and the costs and ask them whether or not they want this to go ahead.
“We’ll be showing the full redesign plans, baring in mind that the plan incorporated the majority of the submissions that we received from the community.”
In a report to this month’s SAMP committee meeting, Berri Barmera Council infrastructure services manager Dave Otto de Grancy said any further changes to the retrofit to save money would result in a “substandard job that will incur further negative criticisms on council on an already sensitive community issue”.
The controversial $1.56 million river-front development, which opened in September 2018, received backlash from the community, particularly due to a S-bend along Riverview Drive that is difficult for larger vehicles to navigate.
The retrofit will see a decrease in the paved area on the river side of Riverview Drive and more paving in front of the Berri Hotel, which will allow for the chicane to be removed and the road to be straightened.
Ms Burton said the decision on whether to lower the speed limit on the road from 50km/h to 30km/h would be discussed following public consultation.
Discussions about retrofitting the redevelopment began in early 2019, with council hosting two onsite information sessions and receiving 54 public submissions, 49 of which have been incorporated into the current retrofit plans.
Works were originally expected to commence at the end of the 2019/20 financial year, however the project was delayed after council received no responses to its original tender request.
Two contractors responded to a select tender request, with Roadside Services and Solutions chosen as council’s preferred tenderer if the retrofit goes ahead.