SEQUIM – The City of Sequim is about to embark on its biggest street project in decades, and what appeared to be bad news in February, in terms of the budget, has turned into good news now that the bids are in.
Fir Street between Sequim Avenue and 5TH Street runs past Sequim High School at the east end, Helen Haller Elementary in the middle, and the Boys and Girls Club at the west end. That represents a lot of youngsters on foot every day on a street with sidewalks along just one side.
That’s about to change, says Public Works Director David Garlington.
Under the street surface will be new sewers, water and irrigation lines, and a new stormwater system. The plan also includes a bike lane and landscaping with trees.
The problem was, last month the city’s consultant engineers reported that the project was going to be over budget by around $750K because of some miscalculations in the original estimate, raising the price from $5-and-a-quarter million to a little over $6 million.
The good news, contractor bids came in this month and the low bid is about 5.6 million, which has City officials breathing a little easier. Garlington says a source for the extra funds has already been identified and won’t be problem.
It’s expected the City Council will vote to award the bid at their meeting on March 25, and Garlington says the project could get started as early as May.