By Debbie Adams
At their meeting on March 19, members of Vinton Town Council adopted a resolution awarding
a construction bid and authorizing the town manager to execute a contract with F& B
Contractors, Ltd., in the amount of $499,118.25 for the construction of crosswalks on Hardy
Road and Gus Nicks Boulevard.
Road Crosswalk (courtesy of Town of Vinton)
Boulevard Crosswalk (courtesy Town of Vinton)
The Hardy Road Crosswalk will be in between the entrance to St. Timothy Lutheran Church and
the first (west) entrance to W.E. Cundiff Elementary School.
The Gus Nicks Boulevard Midblock Pedestrian Crosswalk will be located near Gish Mill.
The town issued an Invitation for Bids (IFB) on January 19 seeking bids for the project which
includes both crosswalks. They received two sealed bids, one from S.C. Rossi & Co., Inc., for
$661,505 and the low bid from F&B Contractors, Ltd. for $498,705.75. (Two minor errors
increased the bid by $412.50.)
On February 22, a letter and supporting documents were sent to the Virginia Department of
Transportation Salem District requesting authorization to award the construction project to F&B
Contractors. Approval was received from VDOT on March 7.
Town Manager Pete Peters noted that the low bid was within the expected budget and the
contract was to be executed on March 20. He expects work to get underway in early May on the
Hardy Road crosswalk so as to complete the project while schools are not in session. The
contract stipulates that the project must be substantially completed within 90 days and completed
within 120 days.
According to the town, the Hardy Road crosswalk “will improve the lives of the residents in the
area and reduce the likelihood of accidents involving pedestrians attempting to cross a very
heavily traveled street. The project will provide a safer connection for the neighborhoods to the
south of Hardy Road to W.E. Cundiff Elementary School and to Wolf Creek Greenway located
to the north of Hardy Road.”
As for the Gus Nicks crosswalk, “The project will reduce the likelihood of accidents involving
pedestrians attempting to cross Gus Nicks Boulevard, a very heavily traveled right-of-way. The
project will provide a safer connection for pedestrians and/or greenway users from Glade Creek
Greenway, located to the south of Gus Nicks Boulevard to the Gish Mill Property.”
The projects include demolition of concrete and pavement, installation of concrete sidewalks,
ADA ramps, pedestrian refuge islands, pavement, Solar RRFB signals and foundations, removal
of existing signing and placement of roadway and school signing and foundations, eradication of
pavement markings and placement of pavement markings. Both crosswalks will feature flashing
lights.
Council issued a proclamation recognizing March as Multiple Sclerosis Education and
Awareness Month. Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system that afflicts
approximately 915,000 people in the United States, including Town Council member Laurie
Mullins, who was diagnosed 20 years ago. She thanked council members and staff for helping
the public to become more aware of the disease through their action.
Vice Mayor Mike Stovall commended Vinton Police Officer Grant Shepherd for his actions and
professionalism at the scene of an accident on March 19 which involved a school bus.
Vinton Town Treasurer/Finance Director Andrew Keen presented a resolution which council
adopted allowing the removal of outstanding personal property taxes ($8,656.10) and vehicle
license fees ($14,606.52) over five years old from the active records to a permanent file. Keen
noted that the town has made a “thorough effort” to collect the taxes.
Keen also presented the financial statement for January 31 for council’s approval. He reported
that the town remains financially strong with consumer-driven tax revenues exceeding
expectations.
Council took action to reappoint Robert “Bob” Benninger to the Board of Zoning Appeals for
another five-year term, which expires in 2029.
The meeting ended with a “Happy Birthday” wish to the Town of Vinton which turned 140 years
old on March 17. The town was chartered in 1884 with 584 citizens.
