Board Clears Bid Phase for West Side Regional Interceptor and Lift Station Phase 2

The Board of Public Works and Safety on Sept. 2 approved proceeding to the bid phase for the West Side Regional Interceptor and Lift Station Phase 2, a sanitary sewer project described by the city as roughly seven miles of force- and gravity-main and a new regional lift station. The board unanimously voted to advertise the project for bids with a due date of Oct. 14. "All the easements are in place," City Engineer Matt McElroy said, adding the city spent "2.5 years" procuring easements with the help of RWS South. McElroy said permits are in place and the construction timeline will "allow 465 days for the project to be constructed." McElroy said the project is intended to provide sanitary service for future development to the west, northwest and southwest of the city and "also provides the benefit of taking flows off of the existing U.S. 31 interceptor in the Youngs Creek Lift Station, which are already overburdened during wet weather events." During discussion, a board member thanked RWS South and city staff for avoiding condemnation proceedings while obtaining easements. Brent, identified in the meeting as a representative who worked with RWS South, was thanked for his role; the meeting record states, "RWS South was phenomenal, in terms of their role in working things out with the property owners." The board moved and seconded the motion to proceed with the bid phase and approved it by voice vote. No contract award or budget appropriation was made at the meeting; the board authorized advertisement and the city will return to the board with bids and a recommended contract award later in the process.