Fall 2024 – KEM in the News
KEM in the News
Mansfield’s New Bridge at North Lake Park Features Repurposed Sandstone (richlandsource.com)
‘The city has salvaged sandstone from the foundations of buildings being demolished with the idea of repurposing it,’ Bob Bianchi said.
MANSFIELD — Residents may recognize some parts of the new sandstone veneer at the new bridge in North Lake Park.
But they will need to look close.
That’s because the vast majority of the sandstone used in the new bridge was repurposed from other structures in Mansfield, according to city engineer Bob Bianchi.
“Over time, the city has salvaged sandstone from the foundations of buildings being demolished and also retaining walls with the idea of repurposing it in projects like this,” he said.
The bridge project, done by Adena Corp. of Mansfield for $854,940, was completed late last week and the road was opened on Friday, Bianchi said.
“I can’t tell you how pleased I am with the work Adena did on this project,” he said.
“The bridge is absolutely beautiful and I am excited for people to enjoy it for many decades to come,” Bianchi said.
The engineer cited work done by Adena employees Shawn Guegold, Scott Blum and Alec Bender. “They took great care in installing the sandstone,” the engineer said.
The more complicated caps of the sandstone veneer were the only parts not done using repurposed material, he said.
The new bridge’s sandstone veneer is similar to the new arched bridge that sits just to the east at North Lake Park. That arched bridge was replaced in 2021.
Work on the project began in late May and most of the access roads into the 20-acre park were closed during the project to replace a double-box bridge on the park’s west side.
Bianchi had said the foundations of the old bridge were more than 100 years old.
The bridge was widened to two boxes about 70 years ago and the decks have been replaced over time. There have been repairs over the years. It was just time to replace it,” he said.
Adena was one of two companies that submitted bids for the project this spring, which had been estimated at $975,000. Great Lakes Demolition of Clyde had bid $1,123,639 in an effort to get the job.
The Control Board also awarded a contract up to $98,000 to K.E. McCartney & Associates of Mansfield to provide inspection services for the project.
Mansfield City Council approved the project in March, paid for from the city’s sewer fund.
The old double-box bridge was replaced by a single, wider box culvert.
“Right now, that double box acts as debris catch,” Bianchi said earlier this year. “It fills up with debris and prevents water from flowing through it.”
Contractors will have until Nov. 6 to submit proposals for the project, scheduled to begin in February.
MANSFIELD — The City of Mansfield is ready to seek bids for its planned $17 million Main Street Corridor Improvement Plan.
City engineer Bob Bianchi said Thursday afternoon the federal government had reviewed all of the plans related to the project, now a few years in the making. On Wednesday, it gave the city authority to offer the job to contractors.
The federal approval was needed because a portion of the funds for the project come from Washington, D.C., including a $7.3 million grant obtained in 2022 through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity competitive grant program.
Bianchi said bids will be sought beginning Monday and that contractors will have until Nov. 6 at noon to respond.
“Bids will be opened at noon and then we will know the true cost of construction,” the engineer said after a Downtown Improvement Advisory Board meeting.
Those bids will be reviewed and then Bianchi will make a contract recommendation to the city’s Board of Control. Mansfield City Council approved the bid authorization during its Aug. 7 meeting.
The engineer will also make a recommendation to the Board of Control on a contract for an engineering firm to monitor and inspect the project, which will change the Main Street corridor from First Street to Sixth Street.
Actual construction costs are estimated at $15.6 million with another $1.4 million for construction inspection, he said.
Construction is expected to being in February with an expected completion date of October 2026.
Bianchi told council in August the project has 14 funding sources, including federal, state, and local dollars. About 80 percent of the funds needed for the project are not local tax dollars, he said.
The project includes a complete upgrade from Main Street from First to Sixth streets and Park Avenue from Main to Diamond streets.
“It involves replacing water mains, storm sewers, streetscape amenities, streetscape furnishings, decorative hardscape, sidewalks, curb ramps, signals, landscaping and lighting,” Bianchi said.
The north and south plazas will be fully renovated, including foundation reconstruction.
He said new installations, such as mid-block pedestrian crossings, seating and decorative walls/fencing, brick crosswalks, brick handscape, traffic control devices, irrigation, fiber, wayfinding signage and two decorative arches are included in the project.
Bianchi said road resurfacing and pavement striping will be done as Main Street is converted to two-way traffic.
The work will be done in stages to lessen the impact along the entire corridor from First Street to Sixth Street.
During the advisory board meeting, members approved the allocation of up to $45,000 to fund a Main Street Improvement Communication Program through Downtown Mansfield, Inc.
DMI CEO Jennifer Kime said her organization would select a part-time contract employee at $23 per hour for 10 to 20 hours per week during the construction process.
The person hired will share updated project information with downtown business owners, residents and visitors seeking to access parking, businesses and navigate street closures.
In addition, this contract worker would host pop-up events that will activate spaces along the Main Street corridor, release information across social media platforms and attend project meetings with merchants and other partners.
The contract employee would likely begin work in January and continue through the duration of the construction project.
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