By Jerome Tuaño
The undergrounding of overhead utilities and the replacement of the water main along Israel Road in Tumwater is set to start in the coming months.
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) would commence work on the undergrounding project ten business days after a pre-construction meeting with the city, according to a work plan, while Reed Trucking & Excavating, Inc. would work on the water main replacement around mid-July, said Tumwater Engineering Services Manager Bill Lindauer.
The city council approved the project plan and construction agreement with PSE on Tuesday, June 27, to greenlight the project. The same day, the city council also awarded the Puyallup-based Reed Trucking & Excavating, Inc. with a public work contract for the water main replacement.
Undergrounding of overhead utilities
The affected segment of Israel Road, where overhead utilities would be undergrounded, stretches from Linderson Way to Capitol Boulevard.
Lindauer did not mention when undergrounding would specifically begin, but PSE would work during regular working hours from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Nearby PSE customers would experience power interruption during the transfer of the power system. PSE would notify affected customers at least two business days before scheduled service interruptions.
According to the work schedule, the process of transferring the power system and removing the overhead facilities could take around 60 working days.
The project costs $947,187, with PSE funding 60% of the cost with the city covering the rest of the expenses.
Water main replacement
The existing water main along Israel Road that runs from I-5 to Capitol Boulevard, needs to be replaced as it has exceeded its design life, along with the water main along a part of Linderson Way from Israel Road until the parking lot entry at the Department of Labor and Industries.
Reed Trucking & Excavating, Inc. earned the contract with a bid of $3,365,536, lower than the city engineer’s estimate of $2,997,283. The project would be funded through the city’s Water Capital Facilities Plan.
There were six other bidders for the project. Lindauer informed the city council that the second lowest bidder filed a bid protest against Reed Trucking & Excavating, Inc. The protesting company had claimed that Reed Trucking & Excavating, Inc. did not include the cost of a subconsultant electrician for a specific location of the project.
Lindauer said that they decided that the protest was not valid as an electrician was not needed for that specific location.
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