Contamination adds $40,000 to project

Change orders on the West Whitman Street project at Palouse, which was done last summer, added $40,000 to the street-and-rail replacement project. The extra cost evolved after contaminated soil, a result of a two-inch gas pipe, was discovered last summer during construction. Two dump truck loads of dirt were dug up and sent to Lewiston for required testing.

“It was pure petroleum product,” said engineer Munir Daud.

The dirt samples showed the contamination was limited.

“It didn’t move from where we found it,” said Daud. “It usually follows the groundwater, but this time it didn’t.”

The added $...