Old Town Infrastructure Improvement Project Update

June 2012 Project Update from Mike Miller, Public Works Director

With the departure of the City Engineer, we have contacted Joe Strahl, PE with Public Works Management, Inc. about taking over where Dan Graber left off. Public Works Management, Inc. is a company that specializes in providing management services in the role of on- call city engineer to a number of small communities throughout south central Oregon. The company is familiar with the City since it played a significant role in evaluating Florence Public Works in 2006-07 and helped in the recruitment process for the Public Works Director.

We met with Jeff Ballard, PE and James Pearson, PE on June 20, 2012 to go over the specifics of the FURA phase 2 utilities project. This project begins at 2nd and Harbor and continues to the west ending at 2nd and Kingwood. The project includes a 16-inch water main; a bore under Hwy 101; new sewer lines in Oak Street between 1st and 4th Street; new stormwater lines in Oak Street as well; sewer improvements on 2nd Street at Nopal; stormwater improvements at the intersection of 2nd and Nopal; and a new water master meter and backflow prevention device assembly for the Port of Siuslaw. The new master meter and backflow device will allow the Port to modify the water system on their property in the future without having to seek approvals from the City.

In addition to our meeting, both Mr. Ballard and Mr. Pearson walked the complete project limits (both phase 2 and 3) and videotaped/photographed the utility corridors so that they had a better familiarity of the project limits. I also turned over the 90% plan set for phase 2 along with the electronic files for the project.  We discussed timelines. Our goal is to have plans for phase 2 ready to go to bid in July with a bid opening date no later than August 9th and City Council acceptance of the bid on August 20th. This timeline would accommodate a contractor breaking ground on Phase 2 right after Labor Day.

Phase 3 (12-inch water main on Kingwood to Bay Street, 12-inch water main on Bay Street to Nopal, 12-inch water main on Nopal to 2nd Street, and 8-inch water main on Bay Street from Kingwood to Juniper Street) plans should be ready to go to bid in the fall with an October bid award.