After a Year, Cape May’s Firehouse Driveway Cracked

CAPE MAY — The wide, concrete driveway in front of Cape May’s firehouse is cracking one year after the city spent $66,680 to have it replaced.
At a May 4 City Council meeting, Deputy Mayor Niels Favre said the contractor (L. Feriozzi Concrete Company) was blaming the city for the cracks because it plowed snow from the firehouse driveway during the past winter’s storms. He said the contractor claims the driveway was built to specifications and passed pressure tests.
Favre said he saw a number of cracks in the wide driveway and did not want the city to find itself in a position to spend “a lot of money two or three years down the road.”
City Engineer James Mott reported the matter needed to be discussed in closed session. Council moved all discussion to a closed session at the close of the public meeting.
Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. said the city did an inspection of the driveway two weeks ago with Mott’s staff and the contractor.
Mott said he was getting an estimate of the cost for a concrete expert to examine the driveway if needed. He said the cost of the consultant would be about $2,000.
Mott said the contractor would offer his position on the matter in a written document.
The city has a maintenance bond for the driveway until July, said Mott.
Mahaney said the city was exploring other avenues before the matter went to litigation. He said litigation would be the city’s last option in the matter.
Last year, the fire department moved its trucks out of the firehouse and erected a temporary fence and storage area in city hall parking lot and kept vehicles off the new driveway for an extended period of time to allow the concrete to cure.
In June 2009, Mott reported to council the strength of the concrete was tested seven days after it was poured and again at 14 days. He said large vehicles were kept off the driveway for a full 28 days.
At that time, Mahaney said the total cost of the project including engineering fees was $75,000.
In July 2009, Mott reported minor fissure cracks in the driveway to City Council. He said he feared the cracks would worsen at that time.
At a July 7 City Council meeting, Mott said the original core samples for the project “were mishandled.”