Council approves $383,500 design contract for HC‑1 bank stabilization and sewer repairs

The Bedford City Council approved a resolution authorizing the city manager or her designee to execute a professional services agreement with Friesen Nichols for design of the HC‑1 bank stabilization and sewer design project, with a design fee not to exceed $383,500 and construction estimated at roughly $867,000.

City Engineer Mara Quan told the council the HC‑1 channel sits about 200 linear feet downstream of Commerce Place and erosion has exposed a 12‑inch clay sewer line. "If the channel is not stabilized, we're going to risk sewer line failure, which would affect both neighboring properties and obviously our infrastructure," Quan said. The scope includes replacing approximately 300–350 linear feet of the clay sewer line (from the first manhole to the third) and stabilizing about 400 linear feet of bank; the design scope covers preliminary and detailed design, final construction documents and limited structural construction observation. Quan said staff relied on the drainage master plan to move directly to design to avoid a separate alternatives analysis.

Councilmember Sable and Quan clarified that the replacement run is roughly 350 linear feet and that the exposed portion was clay installed in the 1970s, while tie‑ins connect to PVC lines. The council voted unanimously to approve the contract; the design will be funded from the stormwater fund and staff estimated about a year for design plus roughly a year for construction once permits and floodplain hydraulic reviews are complete.