The price to design a new bike path along the old South Lake Drive increased by nearly $30,000 recently. 

At their meeting on Monday night, Dec. 9, members of the Barrington Town Council approved a contract addendum for the firm handling the engineering and design work for the new bike path. 

Officials from Pare Corp. submitted a fee revision to the town on Dec. 2 — the change reflects a shift from the previous agreement, including an additional $29,460 for construction administration. The revision also showed an $11,500 decrease in the reimbursable expense budget. 

In a memo to the Town Council, Barrington Town Manager Phil Hervey wrote that an additional $28,360 was required, and that the funds would come from Sidewalk and Bicycle Facility Capital Fund.

At the Town Council meeting on Monday night, Dec. 9, Hervey explained that the scope of the work had changed a bit since the previous Council approved the earlier agreement. 

New Town Council members asked a variety of questions before eventually approving the contract addendum with a 5-0 vote.

Council President Braxton Cloutier asked about the balance of money remaining in the Sidewalk and Bicycle Facility Capital Fund. Hervey said there was still more than $3 million in the account. 

Kate Berard asked whether the town planned to connect the new bike path to the existing East Bay Bike Path, which is located a short distance from the eastern end of South Lake Drive. Hervey said they are still working on the plan to connect the two paths.

Liana Cassar said her biggest concern was building a safe connection between the East Bay Bike Path and the new South Lake Drive bike path. She also asked if the new South Lake Drive bike path would be as wide as the East Bay Bike Path. Hervey confirmed that it would be the same width.  

Cassar asked if officials planned to raise the new path. She believes the path surrounding the fresh water pond will be impacted by sea level rise. 

Hervey said raising the path would increase the project cost significantly. He added that the town has been awarded a grant to examine flooding in that part of Barrington. 

Cassar later asked in a joking manner if officials, while working on the project, specifically near the culvert on South Lake Drive, could look for her old car keys — she said the keys had accidentally ended up in the culvert years ago. 

Cloutier then made a motion to approve the contract change, adding in a lighthearted caveat that crews try to find Cassar’s old keys. Council members approved the motion, 5-0. 

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