Council approves medical‑district trunk‑line contract; staff says gravity alignment will reduce lift stations

The City Council approved, as part of the consent agenda on Jan. 8, a construction contract for the Medical District Trunk Line (Phases 2 and 3) with Elliot Construction LLC.

Staff described the work as a combination of new pipe and upgrades to existing line segments. Jennifer Kane, answering council questions, said part of the work coordinates with the State Highway 6 construction to avoid conflicting operations and that some sections will be new while other parts will be upgraded or abandoned. She said the alignment follows grades that allow for gravity flow and that a primary benefit of the project is removing two existing lift stations by providing a gravity‑fed connection.

Council members asked whether the route would conflict with the Little Creek Hike and Bike Trail and for timing details. Kane said there will likely be temporary disruption to a section of trail but that the map line is larger than the actual construction footprint; staff will provide more precise timing and outreach details. Council also discussed an overlap with a separate Highway 6 utility‑relocation project and confirmed the two efforts are distinct but will be coordinated.

The consent agenda motion to approve the consent items — including the trunk line contract and associated contingency authority for the city manager to authorize expenditures up to the contingency amount — passed unanimously.

Contract figures presented at the dais described the project as roughly a $3.3 million contract with a city contingency (staff cited a $355,150 contingency figure on the record); staff said the city manager is authorized to approve expenditures up to the contingency for project execution.