It’s been nearly two years.
And Manatee County’s force main replacement project in Holmes Beach is almost done.
Project manager Brett Gocka wrote in a Jan. 25 email to The Islander that Sarasota-based Spectrum Underground was set to reach substantial completion on the $3,492,035.25 project by the end of February.
The project began in March 2022 and involves replacing 4,000 feet of 16-inch force main along Holmes Boulevard and 1,100 feet of 8-inch force main along 58th Street with new PVC piping.
Work also involved upsizing potable water lines along the stretch from 2-inch and 4-inch diameters to 6-inch diameter pipes.
Construction was initially projected to end in November 2022 but work was delayed multiple times — most recently due to a leak discovered during pressure-testing.
The project has bogged down traffic on Holmes Boulevard and negatively impacted multiple businesses along the corridor.
Now Spectrum should reach substantial completion sooner rather than later.
Gocka wrote that much of the work has been completed.
The stretches of new PVC lines have been installed, connected and pressure-tested while system tie-ins have begun and the impacted roadways have been repaved.
Nevertheless, the contractor must complete about 12 more water system tie-ins, including for two fire hydrants, set thermoplastic markings for the repaved roadways, and then do cleanup and restoration work.
Gocka wrote that much of the remaining work would be completed during the day but some of the system tie-ins would be done at night. Those tie-ins are expected to involve brief water shutdowns “with minimal impacts to the residents.”
He sympathized with the people impacted by the project.
“We understand the community’s frustration and we are working to complete this project. There have been many issues from unforeseen site conditions, hurricanes, material issues, testing failures and construction coordination. No one issue is responsible for the delay, but it has been a combination of issues,” Gocka wrote.
People can learn more about the force main replacement project at amiprojects.io.
City projects
Meanwhile, the city of Holmes Beach has a couple of capital improvement projects lined up for 2024.
City engineer and public works superintendent Sage Kamiya presented Jan. 23 the city’s improvement plans, which include phases G(a) and G(b) of stormwater drainage improvements.
Kamiya said Sarasota-based C-Squared CGC Inc. recently reached substantial completion on phases F and I of drainage improvements, which involve installing stormwater infiltration trenches.
The French drain-style trenches are filled with small rocks and filtration mesh, which filter nutrients, sediment and other pollutants out of stormwater before it reaches perforated outflow pipelines at the bottom.
Phase F involved the installation of trenches along Marina Drive, from 56th Street to 58th Street, as well as 58th, 59th and 60th streets between Marina Drive and Holmes Boulevard.
Phase I includes infiltration trenches and pervious paver sidewalks along Gulf Drive, from 69th Street to 76th Street.
Kamiya said the two phases were the first to feature the use of sod surfaces for the trenches, which have been topped with gravel in the past. He said the salt-tolerant sod was more expensive, but required less maintenance and cleanup than the gravel-topped trenches.
The next stormwater improvements will be phases G(a) and G(b).
Phase G(a) will involve the installation of drainage trenches along 77th, 78th and 79th streets between Gulf and Marina drives.
Phase G(b) will feature the installation of trenches along roadways between Avenue B, Avenue C, 27th Street and 28th Street.
The city commission approved a $411,640.43 agreement last December to hire Bradenton-based Woodruff & Sons to complete work on phase G.
Kamiya said work on phase G will begin this spring and is projected for completion by September.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District will fund Phase G.