Ephrata to rebid Basin Street work
Charles H. Featherstone/Columbia Basin Herald Ephrata City Council Member Justin Kooy and Mayor Bruce Reim during Wednesday evening’s city council meeting following a vote to put the Basin Street water main replacement project out to rebid.
EPHRATA — The Ephrata City Council decided to put the $3 million project to replace nearly four miles of water pipe underneath Basin Street up for bid again.
According to City Administrator Wes Crago, the city and contractor, Scout Lake Construction, have decided to part ways because the delay in the Basin Street project caused by the failure of the state legislature to pass a capital budget last year made it impossible for Scout Lake to start work until late summer.
“The contractor has moved on,” Crago said, noting that because of they delay in the capital budget, Scout Lake found other work to do.
“They said they were not able to start until August at the earliest estimate, and it could be later,” Crago said.
August is unacceptable, Crago added, because it is likely the work will not be done before the cold hits and asphalt plants close. Too long a delay could interfere with the state’s plan to resurface Basin Street, which is covered under the state’s Transportation Budget.
The council unanimously approved a “hold harmless” agreement with Scout Lake, allowing both sides to walk away from the contract without incurring any penalties.
Crago said the work to replace Basin Street’s aging water lines — some of which are made of wood and are at least a century old — will be put out to bid again as soon as possible.
Bids will be opened on March 22, and the council is expected to award the contract at its April 4 meeting.
If all goes according to plan, Crago said construction work should start in mid-April and end by late August — about the time Scout Lake said it could begin work.
“We think this is the way to go,” Crago said.