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Naples approves contracts and extra engineering funds as beach outfall construction begins
Summary
City Council approved three actions to resolve utility conflicts and fund construction oversight for the Naples Beach stormwater outfall project as construction proceeds; city and county funding, schedule and street impacts were discussed.
City Council on April 2 approved three separate items to keep the Naples Beach stormwater outfall project moving into active construction: a $2,064,735 purchase order to Quality Enterprises USA to resolve sanitary-sewer conflicts and water-distribution work on Gulf Shore Boulevard (approved as item 14A), a $158,027 task order to LJA Engineering for construction engineering and inspection (14B), and a $400,140 amendment to the project consultant agreement with Grama USA (formerly Erickson) for additional engineering work and construction support (14C). Council voted unanimously on each measure.
The decisions follow a March 3 notice to proceed and early construction work. Public Works Director Bob Middleton told council the project already has crews on Third Street North and that directional drilling and pipe pullback will begin at Eighth Avenue North in the coming weeks to install twin outfall pipes 1,500 feet into the Gulf. Middleton said the overall construction schedule remains a roughly two-year effort with an anticipated completion in mid‑2027; the contract guaranteed maximum price (GMP) that Council previously approved was about $86 million and staff described a total program cost of roughly $101 million when related work and contingencies are included.
Why this matters: the outfall project is intended to upgrade stormwater conveyance and reduce chronic flooding on Gulf Shore Boulevard and nearby neighborhoods. Council and staff repeatedly emphasized communications and access during construction because work will require lane and driveway impacts, staging areas, and temporary closures around pump-station construction. Middleton and city staff said Third Street North work is underway, the south pump station work will require closing part of the beach neighborhood for staging in mid‑April, and the contractor is seeking to accelerate some pump‑station pile work to minimize heavy construction near Eighth Avenue North before late‑year hotel openings.
Key technical and funding points: the project includes new transmission mains, relocation and upsizing of a six‑inch water main to a 12‑inch main under the sidewalk on Gulf Shore Boulevard, and utility relocations to eliminate vertical conflicts between gravity sanitary pipes and the new storm trunk lines. Staff said the original pipe material plan for one long outfall was revised from 30‑inch fusible PVC to 36‑inch high‑density polyethylene to secure earlier delivery and maintain hydraulic capacity. Funding sources discussed include stormwater program funds, water and sewer enterprise funds for utility relocation work, and county assistance: Councilmember Ray Christmann and Commissioner Kowal noted a $10 million Tourist Development Council (TDC) contribution approved at the county level toward the outfall project; staff said city taxpayers/ratepayers would fund the remaining local share (roughly $41 million in current estimates before outside funding, and staff said the county support would reduce the city share if the funding is finalized).
Council and staff cautioned residents that the work will be disruptive. City Manager Gary Young and Middleton said the contractor will meet property owners before work at each driveway and that the city is expanding its outreach lists to include adjacent property owners, condominium managers and hotels. Councilmembers asked specifically about timing for the Four Seasons and other hospitality openings and Middleton said the contractor is trying to finish the deep excavation and pile/drilling phase on Eighth Avenue North earlier if possible so the most intrusive work is completed before any scheduled hotel openings.
Actions: Council approved (1) a waiver of competitive bidding and a purchase order to Quality Enterprises USA, $2,064,735, to relocate sanitary sewer and water distribution lines interfering with the stormwater installation; (2) a task order to LJA Engineering for construction engineering and inspection, $158,027; and (3) Amendment No. 14 with Grama USA for additional construction engineering/design support, $400,140. All three measures passed unanimously.
Ending: City staff said the work will continue through multiple construction seasons and that a full project update—including revised staging maps and a communications plan for businesses and residents—will be provided as the contractor advances key pump station and directional‑drill milestones.
