Bid awarded for sinkhole repairs

 
Grady Crawford Construction, Inc. secured the lowest bid for the emergency underground sewer lines at lift station causing the sinkholes at the intersection of Elton C. Harrison Drive and Jesse Stone Avenue next to Southern University’s Clifford T. Seymour Gym.
After the sinkholes appeared, the Harrison and Jesse Stone Intersect Project was budgeted at $200,000.
Linda Antoine, director of the purchasing department, explained the process after the winning of the bid.
“It is our intent to award to the lowest and responsive bidder: Grady Crawford Construction company, Inc.,” Antoine said.
Grady Crawford Construction, Inc. won the lowest bid at $168,867.00, Plumbing and Maintenance, Inc. coming in second at $188,540.00.
Other bidders included Honore’ Companies, LLC had a bid of $282,600.00, Louis Mechanical contractors bid at $251,000.000, and Wescorp, Inc bid at $203,900.00.
She said she received information from Grady Crawford Construction, Inc. on accepting the project.
Eli G. Guillory III, executive director of facility services, said the projected date has been estimated.
“The job will take approximately 120 days to complete,” Guillory said.
He said the repairs will most likely get started next week, to reduce the interruptions to fans during Saturday’s home game against Alabama State.
Louis Hightower, director of health physical and recreation education, wants the project to be finished to make the area safer.
“One reason is it creates a safety problem and needs to be fixed right away,” Hightower said.
He said there is a great need for the work to be complete on the so-called sinkholes.
Hightower said he has not been getting any information about the project.
“No this is the first. I know one has said anything about it,” Hightower said.
He said he is in favor of the university fixing it as soon as possible.
Greg Pittman, a freshman criminal justice major from New Orleans, lives in Grandison Hall  and said you could smell the sewage.
“You can smell a little bit of the sewage,” Pittman said.
The piping system is two to three feet below street level, which is why the smell is pervasive near the holes.
Pittman did not have many complaints except for the smell on the situation.
Due to the street closure, people drive on the sidewalk trying to get into the parking lot.
“It makes people cut through grass, through the restricted lot or around the stadium,” Pittman said.
Guillory previously stated that the high volume of traffic through the intersection of Elton C. Harrison Drive and Jesse Stone Avenue caused the failure of the 50-year-old piping system.