Sunesis Announces New Direction for Repairs
Aug/100
Dear friends and neighbors,
Today we received a new communication from Bellevue City Administrator Keith Spoelker regarding the progress of the current street repairs. In short, it appears that Sunesis will be bringing in an additional crew to assist with the construction project. The plus side? Repairs are again expected to be completed in October (as opposed to the revised November finish date that was recently announced). The downside is that the construction will close off larger sections of the street at a time. Here’s what Keith’s email had to say:
When we had our last Residents meeting last month at the Callahan Center, Sunesis indicated that the new completion date was November 16th with weather and poor soils being the culprits for pushing the deadline date back from October. We held our monthly Covert Run Construction Management meeting last week. The majority of the meeting focused on construction progress and how to bring the deadline date back into October. As a result of our conversation, Sunesis has agreed to bring in a second crew to work on the project. The first crew would continue to lay pipe for the new sewers and connect the new water lines – essentially keep moving up Covert Run as the second crew would come in behind them and be responsible for paving and reconstruction of the finished area.
The primary advantage of this proposal is that it would compact the overall completion date for the project back into October (assuming bad weather and poor soils don’t intervene). The downside to the proposal is that there would be more than 300’ of Covert Run closed at any given time – as one crew digs, the other paves. I’ve checked with both the police and fire chiefs regarding the safety of proposal. Both have indicated that there is little downside to this proposal from a safety standpoint. It may extend the immediate parking hassle for the residents, but the project itself will be completed quicker. If you have any questions, please let me know.
We’ll keep you posted on additional developments to the street repairs project. In the meantime, please contact Keith Spoelker for more information at keith.spoelker@bellevueky.org or (859) 431-8866. Additionally, you can identify Sunesis construction foremen by their white hard hats. These individuals can answer any questions you may have about the timeline or safety of the project.
Recap of 7/7 Public Meeting
Jul/100
Hi all,
As you might know, a public meeting was held yesterday at the Callahan Center to discuss the progress of the Covert Run repairs. Here’s a quick recap of what was discussed:
- The repairs continue to run smoothly. The project is expected to be completely finished by November 16, but Sunesis foremen expect the road to be passable/accessible by the first week of October.
- Water–in the form of rain as well as run-off resulting from residential use–has caused a few delays for work crews. Sunesis asked that we refrain as much as possible from doing laundry or other tasks that use large amounts of water during work hours.
- FYI: Sunesis foreman can be identified amongst crew members by their white hard hats. If you have an immediate question or concern during work hours, please approach these individuals.
- Sunesis would also like to inform residents who were confused about the recent power outage that the incident was unrelated to the construction project. Power outages are not expected for the duration of the repairs, but Sunesis does work closely with Duke Energy, so they are well prepared in the event of an outage.
- Those residents who have not filled out the easements distributed by Sunesis in recent months should do so as soon as possible. This will allow workers limited access to your property and ensure that the process goes smoothly. If you did not receive this document, please contact Keith Spoelker at 859-431-8866 or at keith.spoelker@bellevueky.org to obtain a copy.
- Council has been notified of the concerns residents have about speeding on our street. We’ve expressed the desire to implement a speed bump, stop sign, or other means of deterring speeders once the street reopens. Spoelker has agreed to discuss the matter with Bellevue’s chief of police. Check back regularly for updates on that front.
So far, so good! It seems as though our patience is paying off, but if anyone has questions or concerns, please feel free to post them here or contact Bellevue’s city administrators.
Public Meeting this Wednesday, 7/7/10
Jul/100
Friends and Neighbors,
This post is to inform you that city council will hold a public meeting this coming Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Callahan Center (616 Poplar St.). Presumably, this meeting will be an opportunity for council to present a progress report for the Covert Run Pike street repairs project. Additionally, residents will be encouraged to ask questions about the project’s timeline, estimated completion date, interim parking, and anything else that comes to mind.
We hope to see everyone at the public meeting Wednesday!
Taylor Intersection Reopens, Repairs Project Progresses
Jun/100
Hello friends and neighbors!
This is just a quick note to let everyone know that the intersection at Covert Run Pike and Taylor appears to have reopened. It also appears that, effective today, the south end of Taylor will resume one-way traffic. Construction vehicles have moved to the 300-block of Covert Run Pike. Since city council has not stated otherwise, it is assumed that residents of the 300-section are still authorized to park around the corner on Taylor or further down Covert Run Pike as repairs proceed. Please be sure that your police-issued parking pass/laminate is visible in the dashboard of your vehicle at all times.
I have contacted City Administrator Keith Spoelker for a detailed update on the repairs project. Please check back in the coming days for news and developments.
Important Info about Covert Run Pike Closures!
May/100
Hello Covert Run residents,
As you’ve undoubtedly noticed, there have been some developments in the street repairs project that have caused the intersection at Taylor to be closed to through traffic. I spoke with City Administrator Keith Spoelker this morning, and he gave me some information about the closure that I’d like to share with you.
For starters, Mr. Spoelker stated that the work contract originally called for the intersection to be closed for four weeks; weather and other factors could potentially extend the closure from four to six weeks. In the meantime, here are some detour routes suggested by the city:
- Traffic into Bellevue from Ft. Thomas on Covert Run will be routed south on Rossford, to Memorial Parkway.
- Traffic south on Taylor will be routed west on Grandview to Lafayette, south on Lafayette to Donnermeyer, west on Donnermeyer to Berry, south on Berry to Cleveland, east on Cleveland to Taylor.
- The 200 block of Covert Run will remain closed as it is now.
- The section of Taylor between Covert Run and Cleveland will be changed for 2-way traffic for local residents only, so they can get to their homes.
SPECIAL NOTE: Traffic at Donnermeyer and Lafayette will increase dramatically during this time. Because of this, a stop sign will be temporarily placed east on Donnermeyer at Lafayette. Public Works will also be painting a stop bar, and an arch-line in the turn at Lafayette and Donnermeyer. This is being done to slow the traffic and ensure that vehicles in all direction maintain a correct radius through the turn.
Spoelker and the city are working right now to develop and distribute parking passes for those affected by future closures to the latter blocks of Covert Run. There was no indication of when those closures will occur, but Spoelker verified that signage will be put in place today letting drivers know that the remaining parking spots on Covert Run are reserved for residential parking only. According to Spoelker, the city is still working on alternative parking for street residents for the remainder of the closures.
The city has developed a plan to ensure fire and ambulance coverage once the closures begin along the 300 block.
CSI, our local garbage service, has been in contact with the construction group to make sure garbage is picked up on Mondays, as usual. Both the city and the waste company have been notified that cans from this past Monday remain at the curb awaiting pickup.
Covert Run Pike residents should expect forthcoming communications from both Sunesis and the city on how these repairs will continue to affect us. Additionally, Mr. Spoelker plans to organize another public meeting sometime in May to brief residents on the details of the closures on the 300 block. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact Keith Spoelker, Bellevue City Administrator, at (859) 431-8866.
Covert Run Pike Repairs Update
Mar/100
Repairs to Covert Run Pike began February 1, 2010. Aside from a few weather incidents, Sunesis Construction has made significant progress, working during the day on 300-ft. sections of the street at a time. At the most recent public meeting, residents expressed concerns about how the normal flow of non-resident traffic and parking would be managed, but so far major inconveniences appear to be relatively few.
Keith Spoelker indicated that the City would attempt to secure parking for residents displaced by the construction, but to date no designated alternative parking area has been announced. Citizens also voiced the need for a speed bump or other speed deterrent to be installed as part of the renovations; it remains unclear whether these issues will be addressed. City officials hope to have the project completed by fall or early winter of this year, at which point we will continue to closely monitor the condition of the street and, where necessary, work with city council to address ongoing concerns.
Please be sure to contact Keith Spoelker (keith.spoelker@bellevueky.org; 859-431-8866) and/or the City of Bellevue with any questions or concerns you have throughout the repairs process.
City Accepts Bid for Repairs – FINALLY!!
Nov/090
Hello Friends,
It is with great pleasure that I announce that city council has accepted a bid for our long-awaited street repairs! According to reports in the Kentucky Enquirer, Sunesis Construction Co. will accept 1.28 million dollars for replacement of our sanitary and storm sewer line. (Read the full story here.) City Administrator Keith Spoelker expects the repairs project to begin in spring or summer of 2010, and according to the project’s specifications, the street can only be closed in 300-ft. sections at a time. Additionally, the bid specifies that the intersection of Taylor and Covert Run cannot be shut down for more than four weeks.
The news report also indicates that Council plans to hold a public announcement sometime in December, so be sure to come prepared with any questions you have concerning the repairs project.
This is a very exciting time for Covert Run Pike residents. With any luck, the repairs will go smoothly next year and the problems that have plagued our street for more than 60 years will finally come to an end!
Until then, let’s remain focused!
New Bidding Session Announced!
Oct/090
Bellevue City Administrator Keith Spoelker informed Covert Run Pike residents Friday that after a disappointing first round of bidding last month, our street project has been reopened for bids. The new bidding session will close on October 29th, and while Spoelker did not disclose whether any strategic revisions were made to the plan, he did state that the pre-bidding meeting (held this past week) went smoothly and was well-attended by area contractors.
I will be in contact with Spoelker’s office immediately after the bidding closes. Until then, we should continue to keep the lines of communication open and remain optimistic. We’re still making good progress, and trust that if it becomes necessary at any point to request another meeting between Covert Run residents and the administrative parties involved, we will do just that.
While we’ve seemingly reached yet another frustrating stage in this process, please be assured that every effort is being made to encourage and monitor the actions of SD1 and the City of Bellevue. As always, updates and developments will be made available on this Web site in as timely a manner as possible.
Thank you all for your continued patience and vigilance! Let’s keep looking forward!
Saturday Night Rain
Sep/090
Well, it’s been another thrilling night in Bellevue. After several days of consistent rain, the creek swelled and the street began to show signs of flooding… yet again. Those of us who were at home and aware of the situation managed to move our cars out of harm’s way and trek back to the safety of our porches. Our neighbors who ventured out may not return to such good fortune. But that’s the chance you take when you live on Covert Run Pike.
While we wouldn’t wish our troubles on anyone, it’s kind of sad that Bellevue’s mayor and city administrators — who continue to talk about the money they’ve raised and the plans they’ve made, despite the fact that our project didn’t garner a single bid from area contractors — can’t really appreciate the situation. They were informed years ago of the flooding on Covert Run Pike, and they wisely chose to buy homes on dryer Bellevue streets. On nights like tonight, many of us are wishing that this problem had been as clearly outlined for us when we were in the market for homes. If someone had been there to explain to us that several times a year we would have to move our cars (or face losing them), pump water by the hundreds of gallons from our homes, scrape toxic sludge from our sidewalks, and spend countless rainy hours worrying and wondering, we all might have headed for higher ground.
But since hindsight is 20:20, and we have no choice otherwise, it’s best to keep looking toward the future. What’s the story, Bellevue? When will the bidding process resume? What were the reasons for area contractors shying away from the project in the first place, and what measures have you taken to ensure that we’ll get bids next time? What’s the status of the million+ dollars we raised toward the project? How will the winter impede the necessary repairs?
We have plenty more questions, but, looking out the window now, it appears that the rain has subsided and we might avoid a major catastrophe after all. Time to go retrieve our vehicles and (hopefully) enjoy the rest of our weekend.
Till next time…
A Minor Speedbump
Sep/090
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This afternoon, Bellevue City Administrator Keith Spoelker sent an e-mail informing Covert Run Pike residents of the results of today’s bid opening. Here is what he says:
“The bid opening for Covert Run was yesterday. We didn’t receive ANY bids, which was highly unusual to SD1, myself, KZF Engineers, and the Northern Ky Water District.
The partners in the project have spent most of today discussing options on how to rebid and talking to vendors who picked up the plan as to why they didn’t bid. Many of the responses indicate there were other bid requests open at the same time and the vendors responded to those bids rather than ours.
The project will be placed out for rebid. We are working with SD1 and KZF for the new timetable. I wish it was better news, but I thought you should know about it.”
***
While this news is disheartening to say the least, let’s try to look at the bright side. As Keith points out, these results surprised all parties involved and are presumably atypcial for a project of this scope. We have every reason to believe that once the bidding resumes, vendors will bid and we can look forward to getting our street repaired.
In the meantime, however, we still have a responsibility to ask the difficult questions that Keith failed to cover in his communication: Why did vendors ignore the bid request? Does the budget fall short? Is the project not feasible? How long will it take to resume the bidding process? What do we do if the next round fails to elicit bids?
I urge you to contact Bellevue City Council with any questions you have. Call Keith Spoelker at (859) 431-8866 and let him know that you will do what it takes to help see that our flooding problems are resolved. We need to remind them that this issue is not going away for us, so we will not go away either.
Please check back to the site regularly as I will be posting updates and information as I get it.
Keep looking forward!