Whitefish considers bids for water main project

by Matt Baldwin Daily Inter Lake
| June 4, 2017 9:50 PM

Discussion on the replacement of aging water mains will be the highlight of a short agenda for Whitefish City Council on Monday evening.

According to Public Works Director Craig Workman, the earliest water mains in the city were constructed of wooden slats. The city began installing cast-iron water mains in the 1930s, which eventually gave way to ductile iron pipes in the ’50s and ’60s. While all of the wooden water mains have been abandoned, the city still allocates funding annually to replace sections of failing cast-iron water mains. Today, the city uses PVC, which is expected to last well over 50 years.

Phase 1 of the 2017 water main replacement project will replace mains, valves, hydrants and service lines along West Third and Fourth streets between Karrow Avenue and Jennings Avenue; on Montana Avenue between Edgewood and Skyles Place; and on Skyles Place between Montana and Dakota avenues.

Two bids were submitted for the project.

Noble Excavating of Libby bid $1.21 million for the entire project, while Sandry Construction of Bigfork bid $1.57 million. An engineer’s final estimate prior to bidding was $947,060.

However, with only $650,000 in funding available this fiscal cycle, city staff is recommending that the contract be awarded to Noble Excavating in the amount of $364,750 for work along Montana Avenue and Skyles Place only.

Additional funds have been proposed in the 2018 budget to complete the remainder of the project.

Council will also will consider a resolution authorizing the city and Whitefish Legacy Partners to supplement their application for a recreation use and trail easement for an extension of the Whitefish Trail in the Swift Creek area.

This supplement — in response to issues identified during a pair of meetings in May — addresses plans for a 200-foot pedestrian bridge over BNSF Railway tracks and two other pedestrian bridges over Lazy Creek and Swift Creek. Specifications of the trail in this area will also be considered.

An open house and ribbon-cutting for the new Whitefish City Hall and parking structure will be held Monday from 3 to 5:30 p.m.

A work session will follow the ceremony in the City Hall conference room at 6 p.m. Public ways and property, and special event permits are among topics to be discussed.

The regular meeting begins at 7:10 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 418 E. Second St., Whitefish.

For more information and an agenda, visit http://www.cityofwhitefish.org.