Eatonville council prepares for July 4 amid SR161 construction

At the June 12 Eatonville town council meeting, town administrator Seth Boettcher provided an update on the SR161 Washington Avenue North Corridor Streetscape Project. While the construction workers are momentarily running out of work due to utility conflicts, council members scurried to find ways to clear construction of the area in anticipation of Independence Day.

“There’s some final things that they need to finish up this week, and then they’re going to have a hiatus and put that off until they come back, and put in the lights,” Boettcher said.

The streetscape project is stuck at a standstill in phase 2. On April 11, 2022, the council approved Resolution 2022-T, which relates to funding for the second phase of the construction. Currently, the contractors are waiting on materials, including streetlights.

One council member became vocal when she questioned the timing of the contractors, for the purpose of getting rid of the bulldozers and materials on the road for July 4th events. The council member’s concerns were related to the construction taking up available parking for events, and safety concerns due to inaccessible sidewalks.

“There was a big pickup in productivity in April and May,” Boettcher said. “That was KBG holding them [to account], that when they had walked off the job earlier and continued to charge working days … they did not want to get into going over the contract time.”

Res. 2022-T provided a maximum of approximately $404,417 in funding, and while Boettcher did not have an exact number of days it will take for the contractors to wrap up, he expects it to be no more than ten. The construction workers are taking time off while waiting for materials to arrive, according to Boettcher, who added that it’s the most efficient way for them to finish the project while staying within the contract.

An examination of KPG Psomas Inc.’s scope of work, dated April 20, includes the contractors having to remove existing pavement and resurface it, install street trees, and a new illumination system. A general assumptions portion of the document states that the consultant’s project duration was 120 working days of construction due to the consultant’s original level of service, and the document estimates an additional 15 working days.

“There have been multiple conflicts that have increased the burden to manage the project,” stated the document. “These include unknown utility conflicts, and a Contractor who challenges every aspect of the documentation and disagrees with our interpretation of the Contract regarding the temporary lighting system. The Contractor has also filed two intents to claim which will take an additional time to address. These have caused extended discussions beyond what could have been reasonably expected.”

The Eatonville town council passed Res. 2023-Y, which allows for approximately $102,025 in maximum funding from the electric and REET funds for KPG Psomas Inc. to fully execute the streetscape project. The term of the contract is set to expire on Dec. 31.

While additional funding for additional working construction days is secured, council members have yet to decide how exactly to clear up construction to free up parking for July 4.