Coupeville council awards Valdez Construction contract for boardwalk and North Main sidewalk after mitigation concession

The Coupeville Town Council voted unanimously March 11 to award a construction contract to Valdez Construction for replacement of the Front Street boardwalk and construction of the remaining North Main Street sidewalk, but the council and staff agreed to limit work start until required preconstruction surveys and monitoring are complete.

The contract award includes an amendment asking the contractor and town to implement three mitigation items requested in a March 10 letter from Historic Whidbey to the council: mark the Historic Whidbey property line on North Main with posts/flagging; use a stone-pattern imprint rather than a wood pattern on the new east-facing retaining wall; and remove vegetation identified as likely to be adversely affected (including trees with root systems crossing the property line) at the time of construction. The council approved the contract and the mitigation language by voice vote; the motion passed unanimously.

Why it matters: the project affects Coupeville’s historic downtown, several privately owned properties adjacent to the work zone and small businesses that rely on tourist traffic. Residents…