Middlebelt Sinkhole Repair

The Oakland County Water Resources Commission (WRC) experienced a sinkhole on Middlebelt Road just south of 13 Mile Road in the City of Farmington Hills. The washout was due to the collapse of a 36-inch diameter sanitary sewer line. WRC staff, along with a TV crew, confirmed the exact location and extent of the collapse which resulted in the complete closure of Middlebelt Road as emergency procedures ensued.

Spalding DeDecker (SD), with a construction technician on-site, was responsible for the complete tracking of construction labor and materials for what turned into a $3.5 million venture. A considerable emphasis was placed on safety measures to ensure the integrity of other utilities in the immediate area. These included an extensive gas main support system and a thorough dewatering grid. Another substantial component of the project was the bypass pumping operations to continue sanitary service to residents.

SD also provided contract administration services for this very atypical contract, as there was no prime contractor. Each entity was hired individually by WRC. This added to the complexity of documenting all aspects of the work including invoices, payrolls, labor rates, equipment rentals, material lists, fuel usage, testing, and monitoring. SD reviewed invoices and made payment recommendations based on actual work completed and labor used.

SD kept documentation using FieldManager to upload daily field reports which tracked and logged all labor hours and equipment separately for 17 different subcontractors. SD conducted Prevailing Wage interviews and checked certified payrolls for Davis-Bacon compliance. The SD Project Manager kept close communication with the WRC engineering staff, and all interested parties were kept abreast of the contract status. SD also maintained a web-based portal site to give around-the-clock access to posted dailies, photos, and test results.

Funding

This Project was funded with a combination of Recovery Zone Bonds and WRC reserve repair funds.