Committee approves nearly $795,000 increase to trail engineering contract

The DuPage County Transportation Committee approved an amendment to resolution DTP 103A23 to increase Christopher B. Burke Engineering’s contract for preliminary engineering on the East Branch DuPage River Trail by $794,991, bringing the amended total to $2,421,417. The committee approved the amendment on a voice vote.

Committee members asked for details after the dollar increase was read into the record. Member DiStarta said, "I don't know what the scrivener's error is, but why is it there an increase of 61.43%?" A county staff member replied that the scrivener's error relates to Exhibit C and would amount to "a dollar an hour correction," and that the larger dollar increase reflected carrying additional alternatives forward in phase-one engineering. The staff member added that the amended engineering cost is "a little under" what staff expected and represents roughly "10 to 12% of what we believe the low cost of a real construction project" for that corridor.

The amendment was presented as a correction to Exhibit C and an increase in funding needed to complete the preliminary engineering and alternatives analysis; the staff description emphasized additional scope rather than a change in procurement method. No roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript; the chair asked for a voice vote and the motion carried.

Committee materials list the amended contract amount, the percentage increases (48.88% for this amendment, 61.43% cumulative) and note the need to finalize the full engineering scope as design proceeds. The committee did not set a further action date on the trail project during the discussion.

What happens next: the amendment will increase the contract ceiling for the firm to finish phase-one engineering and alternatives work; staff said the additional work is intended to align the preliminary engineering with anticipated construction costs.