By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — Naples plans to move ahead with putting out to bid the Route 302/Route 35 intersection job despite conditions that are driving up the costs of construction jobs.

Several weeks ago, Naples Town Manager John Hawley reported what people around the state have been realizing: Construction project bids are coming in much higher than what towns and the state have budgeted.

A lack of available labor is one of the main reasons for this. The Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) has scrapped $45 million worth of work this summer because bids are too high, Hawley said.

“After speaking with the engineering team for our specific project, they do not have any better news and are making the recommendation that we put our project out to bid at the end of the summer with a start date of” spring 2020, Hawley said several weeks ago.

On Monday, Chairman Jim Grattelo asked the board to reconsider the postponement of putting out to bid the intersection improvements job.

He pushed for the project, which has long been discussed as a way to make the intersection safer for both drivers and pedestrians, to make the space look more modern and to replace a traffic signal that is on the fritz.

“We heard that most of these projects are coming in 30% to 40% higher. But I think a $1,000,000 project might entice some secondary construction companies,” Grattelo said.

“If it comes in too high, the cost to rebid is only $2,000 to $3,000,” he said.

“I believe it is important to get this project done for the aesthetics of the town, for the town,” Grattelo said.

“Right now, based on what the town manager gave us for information, work wouldn’t start until next year,” he said, adding that was too long to wait.

Selectman Jim Turpin commented, double-checking if the board had the authority to downsize the project or if the board was obligated to every detail or the project.

“If the numbers come in too high, could we scale back? And where could we scale back,” Turpin asked, recalling there were sidewalks on both sides of Route 302.

“We could get rid of one of the sidewalks,” he said.

It was confirmed that the board had the ability to alter portions of the plans.

The board voted, 4-0, to authorize the town manager to solicit bids for the project as soon as possible. Selectman Rich Cebra was absent from Monday’s meeting.

The traffic signal that is part of that project has been broken. The signal was going through the pattern of changing colors without any regard for traffic because “the loops that trigger the automatic vehicle detection had failed,” Hawley said.

However, it had been fixed by Monday afternoon.

There are only a couple companies in Maine that specialize in traffic signals, Hawley said.

Naples Maintenance Department Director Steve Merkle was able to persuade the company to get it done, letting them know that the Maine Blues Festival would be happening this weekend.