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Engineering briefs: LT Station 5 bids over budget, reservoir repair funded, sewer relining application; bridge planning discussed
Summary
City engineer told the council Nov. 19 that LT Station 5 low bid came in at $650,000 (over budget); the city will shift surplus funds and seek RCCF support. A reservoir repair received an $80,000 grant (bid $82,000; city to cover $2,000), and staff applied to Ecology for about $2.5 million for sewer relining. Council members also discussed regional bridge planning and possible planning grants for a $30–35 million bypass option.
City engineering staff briefed the council on several infrastructure projects and near‑term funding steps during the Nov. 19 meeting.
Engineer Nathan said Task Order 4 for the railroad bridge NEPA review remains on hold while the city and its insurer evaluate liability concerns and whether the bridge will need partial closure. On LT Station 5 improvements, the city received a low bid of $650,000, which exceeded the budget. Nathan said the city discussed shifting an approximately $130,000 surplus from the Dale Avenue project and using RCCF funding to cover the remaining overage; staff will meet with the contractor in December to explore value‑engineering options while avoiding substandard materials.
Staff also reported that the reservoir tank repair received a grant award; the award amount is $80,000 while the received bid was $82,000, and the city indicated it would cover the $2,000 difference to avoid draining the reservoir by using underwater repair techniques. For sewer infrastructure, staff have applied to the Department of Ecology for about $2.5 million to support relining and repair work; an initial low‑interest loan through the Public Works Board would fund additional cleaning and investigation of roughly 7,000 feet of line to determine where pipe replacement (rather than relining) will be required.
Separately, council members raised long‑running traffic congestion concerns and discussed pursuing planning grants and regional coordination for a possible new bridge or bypass (cost estimates noted around $30–35 million) to relieve bottlenecks through town. Council members emphasized the value of planning work to strengthen future grant applications.
