Pellicano Widening Project to possibly resume despite pending litigation
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Construction on the Pellicano Widening Project may resume once again after more than two years, despite pending litigation.
Raymond Telles, executive director for the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority (CRRMA), gave an update to El Paso County's Commissioners Court on Monday, October 28, regarding the current status of the project. According to Telles, the surety company connected to the project has been tasked with hiring a construction company to advance construction.
Telles said during the update that it would take around six weeks to go through the bidding process to find a contractor and that they would use available project funds to advance on the north side of the roadway.
“This negotiated approach is completely outside of the litigation that we have outside of the initial claims that we've submitted to the surety,” said Telles.
Telles said they have a rough timeline on when construction could begin once the contractor has been selected; however, he was not able to provide this information during the update.
ABC-7 reached out to Telles for an on-camera interview regarding the update given to the Commissioners Court but was not available.
Telles had previously told ABC-7 that the surety company connected to the project had been unwilling to start construction because the contractor had filed a claim disputing the default placed on them.
This had prevented the surety bond from being triggered. A surety bond is meant to serve like an insurance policy, and in the case of this project, it would have caused the surety company to step in and finish the job for the contractor who filed for bankruptcy.
Telles said during the update that the company responsible for executing the surety bond is
American Fire Insurance.
On November 13, there will be a hearing where the court will make a ruling on the default according to Telles.
“If the ruling is that the default was proper, then the surety has to get back to work,” said Telles.
