LOCAL

DRPA OKs bridge-painting contract while court fight continues

Carol Comegno Jim Walsh
The Courier-Post
Joe Carlson spray paints the suspension cables of the Walt Whitman Bridge this summer. Corcon Inc. of Ohio is the contractor in charge of painting and steel plate replacement as it will be for a similar project to start on the Betsy Ross Bridge between Northeast Philadelphia and Pennsauken

CAMDEN - The Delaware River Port Authority is ready to repaint one bridge while a legal battle continues over another.

The authority on Wednesday awarded two contracts worth more than $20 million to launch a three-phase sandblasting, repainting and steel repair project for the Betsy Ross Bridge.

Corcon Inc. of Ohio submitted a low bid of $18.7 million for the two-year contract  to work on the New Jersey approach spans of the Betsy Ross, which connects Pennsauken and Philadelphia. A Lawrenceville firm, STV Inc., was awarded a $2.5 million contract to oversee Corcon's performance.

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Under previously awarded contracts, Corcon is nearly finished painting the Walt Whitman Bridge and has completed the first painting phase on the Commodore Barry Bridge.

But a court fight has delayed the second phase of the Commodore Barry project, which is now being rebid under a federal judge's order.

The judge's ruling also has prompted the DRPA to revise some of the criteria it weighs in reviewing competitive public bids from contractors.

"While we believe we already have a solid process, we are not so arrogant to think we can't improve it," DRPA CEO John Hanson said Wednesday. Hanson said he strongly disagreed with the court ruling.

Betsy Ross Bridge between Pennsauken and Northeast Philadelphia will be repainted. The Delaware River Port Authority owns and operates the truss bridge, which opened in 1976.

 

A Baltimore firm, Alpha Paint & Construction, sued the DRPA after the authority threw out its $17.9 million bid for the second phase of the Commodore Barry work. The job went instead to Corcon, which had initially bid $10,200 more.

U.S. District Judge Noel Hillman ruled in Alpha's favor in September 2016, describing the DRPA's bid process as "deeply and dramatically flawed." He also cited "a complete lack of transparency" at the bi-state authority.

In ordering the rebid last month, Hillman said, "The only way to fully rectify the illegal actions of DRPA is to start from scratch,"

Alpha amended its lawsuit Sept. 11, seeking damages for alleged violations of its rights to due process and equal protection rights. The firm, which alleges the DRPA violated its own procurement manual, also wants to recover its legal expenses.

"Alpha incurred significant legal costs pursuing its successful claims against DRPA," noted Peter Torcicollo, an attorney for the Maryland firm. He said Alpha "looks forward to litigating its constitutional claims against DRPA so that it can recoup those legal fees and any other recoverable damages."

The DRPA believes Alpha's amended claims are "wholly lacking in merit," said Raymond J. Santarelli, the authority's general counsel.

"As stewards entrusted with the maintenance and operation of public assets, we will vigorously defend against any action that jeopardizes that priority," he said.

Carol Comegno; (856) 486-2473; ccomegno@gannettnj.com