Virginia Corridor contractor files nearly $157,000 claim against Modesto

The contractor that built Modesto’s newest edition to the Virginia Corridor — the paved trail popular with walkers, bicyclists and joggers — has filed a claim against the city seeking $156,706.

The $2.8 million project to extend the corridor roughly three-quarters of a mile from Bowen to Woodrow avenues was beset with delays, problems and disagreements between the city and the project’s contractor, Fresno-based Cal Valley Construction.

For instance, the city opened the extension in June 2015 even though city officials admitted they could not persuade Cal Valley to repave the asphalt trail after the city complained the surface was too rough, a contention Cal Valley said was not true.

Fresno attorney Patrick Gorman filed the claim on behalf of Cal Valley. He said if Modesto and Cal Valley cannot resolve their differences then the matter will go to binding arbitration, which he said Modesto requires for its construction contracts. Gorman declined to comment further.

City Attorney Adam Lindgren said Modesto is reviewing the claim and also declined to comment further.

Cal Valley is seeking payment for work outside of the scope of the contract or dealing with conditions that were not anticipated and for which it was not compensated, according to the claim. But nearly $100,000 of what it seeks is for work on the asphalt trail.

City officials have said the extension was funded through grants. Cal Valley was paid nearly $2.2 million of the $2.8 million project. The remaining costs were for such work as design and engineering services.

The Virginia Corridor starts at College Avenue on its southern end. The Bowen-to-Woodrow extension increased the corridor’s total length to about 2.75 miles. A city report states the corridor eventually will reach Pelandale Avenue, for a total distance of approximately 4.2 miles.

This story was originally published May 15, 2017 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Virginia Corridor contractor files nearly $157,000 claim against Modesto."