(March 18) The cost of the Glen Helen Parkway Overpass project at the Union Pacific/Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Railroad lines near Devore has increased by $1,050,000. Simultaneously, the accounting on the contributions toward the project’s completion now reflects an increase of $3.05 million to $22,785,000.
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors this week amended the original $19,735,000 undertaking to include the recent receipt of $2,320,000 in funding from Burlington Northern Santa Fe Union Pacific, an increase in the county’s contribution of $202,940 and an increased contribution of $527,060 in funding from the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority.
Simultaneously, the cost jumped, according to Gerry Newcombe, the county’s director of public works and transportation, because of additional railroad flagging services, estimated to be $391,000; additional right-of-way funding needed for ongoing eligible property acquisition expenses that occurred beyond the termination of the right-of-way funding agreement previously obtained for the project and other related costs, estimated to be $409,000; and the discovery during construction of an unknown underground storage structure that contained unknown hazardous material(s), estimated to be $250,000 for the initial response for remediation. Newcombe said the hazardous materials handling costs may yet increase. “Further investigation is underway to determine the full extent of soil contamination and appropriate remediation, and the costs for this continued work are still being determined,” he said.
The additional railroad funding contributions of $320,000 and project costs of $1,050,000 will result in an overall cost increase of $730,000, of which $202,940 is the county’s share and $527,060 is the transportation authority’s share.
All told, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe/ Union Pacific will put up $2,320,000 toward the completion of the project, the county will cover $5,689,270 of the cost and the transportation authority will cover $14.775,730 of the price tag.