Weld County resolves roundabout dispute with contractor, retains $1.3M of contract

DENVER (KDVR) — A disagreement over a roundabout project in Weld County has been resolved through a settlement with the construction company, the county announced Monday.

Lawson Construction was originally contracted by Weld County to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Weld County Road 74 and County Road 33. However, the company was terminated as the project contractor in September 2023 “for a lack of progress that met the county’s design and engineering standards.”

The contract awarded to Lawson Construction was worth $9.2 million, and the company was paid for work approved and completed, but an additional $1.7 million of county taxpayer funds were required to hire a second construction company, W.W. Clyde, to complete the project.

“This project certainly had its challenges, but we’re pleased with our Public Works department and our legal team for their effort in the process, from managing the project to helping recoup funds,” said Kevin Ross, Weld County Commissioner chair, in the county announcement. “This agreement shows that while we’re focused on delivering improvements for the public, we also care about safeguarding taxpayer dollars.”

The county said it will retain about $1.3 million of the original contract price for the roundabout construction, and Lawson Construction’s bonding company will pay the county $300,000. The settlement was agreed to in a meeting held Wednesday.

“We know this project didn’t go originally as planned,  but we’re pleased that this agreement keeps the project close to its original budget,” said Curtis Hall, Director of the Weld County Department of Public Works. “Our commitment to bettering our transportation system is matched by a desire to complete projects on budget.”

The roundabout was completed by W.W. Clyde and opened on Feb. 8, 2024, which was about 13 days ahead of schedule.

The money owed to the county through its agreement with Lawson Construction — which the county said was approximately $1.6 million — will be used to offset the cost of hiring the second contractor and keep costs close to what was the original contracted amount, according to the county.

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