Opinion ID: 331254
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Errors urged by Rich

Text: 60 Rich argues that Cass should not be allowed to set off the amount allowed for the work Rich required Cass to perform in establishing temporary access roads. Under Rich's theory Cass was to grade and compact the soil on which the permanent roads through the project would be built. On this compacted soil Cass would lay a four inch sub-base for the road. This would be used during construction for temporary access and would enable the drainage system to operate. This apparently was the sequence contemplated by the engineers who designed the project. Cass argues the sub-base would be inadequate to carry heavy construction traffic and that therefore Rich should have rocked the roadway for temporary access after the soil was compacted and then, when all work in an area requiring heavy equipment was completed, this rock would be removed and construction of the final road could proceed. 61 Rich correctly argues that it had no responsibility to Cass to provide temporary access on the project, but this does not mean that Cass had the responsibility of providing the system of internal access roads. The district court found that Rich's plan of using the sub-base would not have worked. The testimony before the district court conflicted on this point, and we cannot say that it was clearly erroneous in its holding. When Rich instructed Cass to put down gravel, it was ordering work which was not within the subcontract and therefore for which additional payment was required. 62 The allowance for repairing damages to the subgrade caused by Rich and subcontractors is a closer question, first, because the subcontract contemplates some repairs by Cass and, second, because the subcontract provides that Rich would not be liable for damages of other subcontractors. Once again, however, we cannot hold the district court clearly erroneous in light of ambiguity regarding who caused the damages and in light of testimony that Rich refused to prevent other subcontractors from using the unrocked subgrade.