Issaquah council unanimously approves $5.7 million contract to relocate Newport Way sewer line ahead of WSDOT fish‑passage work

The Issaquah City Council voted unanimously Monday to award a $5,695,187.18 construction contract to Northwest Cascade Inc. to relocate a trunk sewer line along Newport Way and to authorize $2.9 million in additional sewer-fund revenue to cover higher-than-expected construction costs.

Utility Engineering Manager Matt Ellis told the council the relocation is required so the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) can change the course of West Village Park Creek as part of a fish‑passage project. "WSDOT told the city that we needed to relocate the sewer line out of the WSDOT right of way in order to facilitate a new stream alignment for West Village Park Creek," Ellis said during the presentation.

The city opened bids in May and received four competitive offers that exceeded the project’s earlier engineer’s estimate. Ellis said geotechnical testing revealed very dense soils that make a standard bore infeasible and require a specialized pipe‑jacking operation; that technical shift, plus market pricing, drove bids into the $5.7–$6.4 million range.

Council members pressed staff on timing and rate impacts. Councilmember Hall asked whether the additional $2.9 million would raise sewer rates in the near term; Ellis said the city has sufficient sewer fund balance and staff do not expect an immediate rate increase but cautioned the increased use of fund balance could put pressure on future rates or require borrowing down the road.

The administration also requested authorization of a $148,486 amendment to an existing OTEC contract for specialized construction supervision and inspection tied to the pipe‑jacking work.

The contract includes construction impacts the city has notified residents about: lane reductions, a 10‑week full closure of Newport Way at a point west of 50th Avenue during the most intensive work, a roughly seven‑month total schedule, large bore pits, and a full pavement overlay after construction to restore a roadway that was recently repaved. Staff said sewer service to customers will be maintained throughout construction.

Ellis told the council that the project must be finished before WSDOT’s planned stream relocation work in 2026 to avoid delaying the state’s schedule; rebidding would delay the city’s work by at least 6–12 months and could breach the city’s agreement with WSDOT, staff said.

Councilmember comments emphasized the project’s urgency and impacts on nearby neighborhoods and called for robust public outreach and signage. The motion to award the contract, authorize the OTEC amendment, and add $2.9 million to the 2025 budget amendment carried unanimously.

Votes at a glance Award construction contract to Northwest Cascade Inc., $5,695,187.18 (including sales tax); authorize OTEC contract amendment $148,486; authorize $2,900,000 additional sewer‑fund revenue and related expenditures — Outcome: approved unanimously (ayes 7).