Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Canal topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Price council reviews canal crossing change, plans in-place culvert and NRCS funding to keep schedule
Summary
Council received updates on the Canal Crossing project, including manufacturer delays that led staff to switch to an in-place pour culvert that staff says will speed reopening and may save roughly $2,030,000; council will accept a grant portion of a $15 million NRCS package to buy pipe up front.
Price City officials told the council that procurement delays for a precast box culvert have prompted engineers and the contractor to change approach and pour the culvert in place to keep the Canal Crossing project on schedule.
Miles, the project lead, said the manufacturer could not meet originally promised delivery dates and the contractor proposed pouring the culvert in place with structural walls. He told the council that the in-place option appears to both accelerate the schedule and reduce cost, estimating a savings of about $2,030,000 compared with the precast box culvert approach. Staff said the culvert work is expected to be substantially complete by March, with the canal refilled in April and the roadway reopened by mid-April, dependent on asphalt supplier availability.
Council also heard that the city has a $15,000,000 funding package related to the project. Miles described the package as including a roughly $4.5 million grant portion and about a $10.5 million loan; he said the council will be asked tonight to accept the grant portion so staff can purchase pipe up front and protect the project schedule and current market pricing. Miles stressed that buying material now is intended to save money and avoid further schedule risk.
Staff outlined technical material choices and lifespan expectations for the pipe: the city plans to use high-density polyethylene (HDP) pipe described in the meeting as larger than typical (21-inch outside, about 18-inch inside) with thick walls and long expected service life. Officials said the HDP material is flexible and suited for ground movement while being more costly than standard plastic pipe but designed to last for decades.
Council members asked clarifying questions about schedule risks, asphalt availability, and next steps for contract amendments. Staff noted that final reimbursement from NRCS will follow approval of amended environmental documents and cautioned against incurring costs before grant approvals, which could make expenses ineligible for reimbursement.
The council did not take a formal vote during the director reports; staff said necessary follow-up and formal acceptance items will return to the council for action as required.
