Contractors Dodge the Issue of Eliminating Defects

Due to contractors‘ delay, part of the defects identified during the state road quality audit last year will be eliminated only in 2020. As contractors do not agree to carry out works at their own expense, works will be purchased by the Lithuanian Road Administration under the Ministry of Transport and Communications (Road Administration). In case contractors refuse to cover the expenses, the Road Adminstration will take all necassary actions to seek civil claim. \

It shall be noted that contractors are ready to cooperate when elimination of defects is less costly and requires less resources. In case of longer road sections, when additional tests are required and a new asphalt layer shall be laid, discussions are held and time is stalled. Preliminary estimations show that  approximately 20 thousand tonnes of asphalt should be laid to repair the defects.

According to the Director of the Road Administration Mr V. Andrejevas, each case is investigated separately, contractors are introduced to the audit findings and methods to solve the problem are recommended. Unfortunately, only in the case of eight sections no claims could be made to contractors. In most cases, the Road Administration has already or will have to order additional tests in order to identify the scope of defects.

‘Even though contractors will be issued an invoice to cover the incurred costs, it will take more time to eliminate defects. The Road Administration shall follow the public procurement procedure, which takes much more time than it would take the contractors to eliminate defects at their own expense’, says V. Andrejevas.

In 2018 the Ministry of Transport and Communications initiated state road quality audit, during which roads built and reconstructed in 2008-2017 were audited.