By: Adam Pack
Lead Engineer for the Meadow River Rail Trail Project, Matt Ford, presented the Greenbrier County Commission with an appeal for a change order to the trail
at their latest meeting. According to Ford, this appeal
comes as a necessity. When Ford approached the Department of Highways, whose Transportation Alternative (TAP) Grant funds the project, about what to do
with excess funds after “most of the work is done,” he
was met with a simple reply: “Spend it.”
Ford reported that the question of where to spend it
was not difficult to answer, as “nature helped us out
quite a bit this summer.” The change order addresses
four places which received some sort of weather related
damage during the rainy summer period of 2022. Two
of the four areas of work are FEMA sites which are in
need of rock placement for more protection from water
runoff during heavy rain, as well as culverts with larger
inside diameters.
The other two change orders include fallen and dangerous tree removal at multiple areas, but primarily a
tree fallen very near the new bridge. Ford is looking forward to tree removal particularly, as “it’d be a shame
to have that new bridge get destroyed by a tree falling
on it.” Lastly, the change order covers general improvements in and around the Russell Hill Bridge. All totaled,
the change order comes out to $30,168.50. At the summation of his presentation the Greenbrier County Commission approved Ford’s change order request, with
Commissioner Tammy Tincher adding that, “Your work
has been so wonderful and we really couldn’t do this
without you.” Commissioners Phillips and Rose, who
visited the trail recently, were blown away at the “absolutely gorgeous views of the Meadow River that the trail
affords you. It’s really like nothing else.”
