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Port Clinton water and sewer project delayed as railroad stalls permit review
Summary
City special projects coordinator Doug Nuer told council the multiyear water and sewer project is held up by an unresolved railroad permit review; officials said USDA remains the last funding reviewer and the city is weighing bidding options and contract-splitting to avoid long delays.
Doug Nuer, Port Clinton's special projects coordinator, told the council on April 14 that the city's largest water and sewer project is moving forward in parts but is delayed because the railroad has not approved the city's final permit submission.
"We continue to wait for the railroad to approve our last submitted in the beginning or mid-January of this year," Nuer said, describing repeated emails and phone calls with little response. He said the railroad's review was expected to take 30 to 45 days but the city has now far exceeded that window.
The delay matters for the work sequence and permitting: city staff have plan-and-bid approvals from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Ohio EPA has approved water-line installation and sanitary sewer plans, Nuer said. He identified USDA as "our last hold out" among funding agencies and said the city had a Teams meeting scheduled to discuss USDA comments.
Funding for the project is largely in place, Nuer said: "the city has been successful in securing about $18 million in grants," plus roughly $8 million in 2% loans and $2 million in 1% loans to help offset rising costs. If railroad approval arrives quickly, Nuer said the city could advertise bids in June or July, execute contracts in two to three months and potentially begin construction in October, November or January. Absent that approval, the timeline could slip.
City staff described two options if the railroad does not act: (1) proceed to advertise and bid without the railroad-controlled crossing included, or (2) reroute the sanitary line farther west, which may require county easements and agreements. Nuer said the city has discussed bidding without the railroad segment and that USDA had preliminarily indicated it would allow bidding in that configuration, but doing so carries risks: a contractor might later request contract amendments if the railroad later requires changes.
Nuer also said USDA has suggested splitting the overall project into separate contracts (water and sewer) so some work can proceed even if parts remain unsettled. "We could end up with two contractors. we could still end up with one," he said, and added he was concerned about two contractors working on the same street at the same time.
Council members pressed for clearer public communication. A member urged the administration to publish a short newsletter inserted in utility bills or mailed to residents without internet access so residents understand the project's status; administration said staff expect to have a draft for review in the next few weeks.
Nuer provided additional project updates: Lakeshore Drive rebuckment and erosion-control mat installation are on track for a May 15 completion and could produce roughly $400,000 in contract savings; resurfacing phase one requires two to three more weeks of contractor work and remains tied to USDA-funded closeout; and the Perry'Monroe'Harrison roadway project is in design but also faces a railroad-permit dependency.
Next steps: the city will press the railroad for a decision, meet with USDA about possible contract-splitting and consider whether to advertise the work without the railroad crossing included. Officials cautioned that choosing to proceed without railroad approval could expose the project to change orders or additional easement negotiations with the county if the crossing must be relocated.
