Bridger Street: Standards go out the window
Mere weeks after the road was opened, potholes have already started forming and the pavements are so high, business people in the area face a serious risk of damaging their vehicles every day as they go about their normal routines.
After many harrowing months, businessmen and women on Bridger Street were relieved to see the back of the contractor who was rebuilding the road.
Last month, Newcastle Municipality opened several new roads in Newcastle, and now, the same businesses are wishing they had never seen the contractor at all.
Draper Street, Link Road and Bridger Street were among the new roads to be unveiled. However, it seems normal acceptable construction standards fell by the wayside.
The municipality and the original contractor who was awarded the contract for the rehabilitation of Draper Street are currently locked in a court battle, as the municipality found the work to be sub-standard, while Link Road seems to be an example of acceptable workmanship.
Apparently, the final song of woe has not yet been sung for Bridger Street. Mere weeks after the road was opened, potholes have already started forming and the pavements are so high, business people in the area face a serious risk of damaging their vehicles every day as they go about their normal routines.
According to a businessman who operates from Bridger Street, the drainage of the road is also inadequate, as recent rains left pools of water on the road.
The company who was appointed, the name of which was never displayed during the construction process, also started later than expected, and applied for an extension of time after the original completion date had passed.
The Newcastle Advertiser previously reported on the pitfalls of the project, as it seemed the contractor ran into obstacle after obstacle.
“It’s pathetic,” said one businessman. “The workmanship is of an inferior quality. One of my vehicles actually scrapes on the pavement when we come to work in the mornings.”
During investigations into the project, a man who claimed to be a representative of the contractor admitted to the Newcastle Advertiser he was forced to hire heavy machinery necessary for road construction from Durban, as he could not find any available in Newcastle.
Thulani Ndlovu, Unit Manager for the Project Management Department of Technical Services, said the practice of hiring machinery by contractors is allowed by the Construction Industry Development Board, the regulatory body for construction companies.
“The contractor was appointed for R1 092 013,30 and to date the expenditure is R601 577,04,” he said. “The balance will be paid once the surfacing is rectified.”
According to Mr Ndlovu, the municipality does not feel the contractor was inexperienced, as it was the same company that revamped Draper Street and expanded Kirkland and Hardwick streets.
“The project was implemented internally and delays were caused by unforeseen circumstances. The surfacing test results were not as per specification and this was raised with the contractor. They were not paid for surfacing, and the contractor will now rectify the substandard work at their own cost,” he concluded.
