By Alexandra Wexler
news@heraldsun.com; 419-6641
DURHAM -- The Triangle Veterinary Emergency Clinic's plans to move into a facility on Morreene Road may be thwarted by troubles with the N. C. Department of Transportation.
When the clinic initially purchased the $500,000 property at the end of December, it knew it would have to spend money to put in a turn lane, said Sharon Zeigler, the clinic's business manager.
The Department of Transportation had looked at the site for a previous development and determined that a turn lane was required due to traffic volumes, according to Tasha Johnson, the Department of Transportation's district engineer for Durham, Granville and Person counties.
"When we initially worked with our contractor, the estimate for the turn lane was between $100,000 and $120,000," Zeigler said. "That was a painful discovery for us, but we budgeted for it."
However, according to Zeigler, after the clinic had its site plan approved and purchased the property, DOT came back with additional requirements.
DOT is mandating that the clinic move a sewer line, which will raise the total cost of the turn lane from an initially estimated $120,000 to as much as $350,000.
"[DOT] said these requirements are not new, but they didn't inform us of them," Zeigler explained. "The engineers and construction companies we have talked to said putting the burden of cost on the developers to move the utilities has not happened in the past."
However, according to Johnson, it was the responsibility of engineering firm to inform the clinic of these requirements, which are readily accessible to the public.
"The sewage line wasn't really a factor in our initial plans," Steve Bailey, an engineer at Coulter Jewell Thames, said. "This is one of the first times DOT has asked us move an existing line."
According to Johnson, the property owners are required to move utilities when they're of a material that can't be left under the road, and in this case, they cannot.
"We've already worked with [the clinic] to help them avoid relocating a water line," she added.
However, the project is not cancelled.
"I'd be mortally disappointed if this falls through," said neighborhood resident Cecilia Eichenberger. "We've gone through this several times before with potential buyers."
The clinic has a meeting scheduled with DOT and members of the local community, which a representative of the city manager's office is planning to attend on their behalf. It is tentatively set for Wednesday at 7:15 p.m.
"We are looking for alternatives," Zeigler said, "And the city of Durham doesn't care if we put in a turn lane or not."
