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BCC moves forward with Gulf Blvd. road, utilities improvements
By SUZETTE PORTER
Article published on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006 |
CLEARWATER – Residents of Indian Shores and Indian Rocks Beach moved a step closer to seeing planned roadway and utilities improvements along Gulf Boulevard.
The Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved at its Aug. 1 meeting a construction management at risk services agreement with PBS&J Contractors for work on Gulf Boulevard, from Park Boulevard to Walsingham Road.
Commissioner Karen Seel excused herself from the vote. Commissioner Bob Stewart was absent.
The improvements will include putting in a reclaimed water line in Indian Shores and moving a waste water line and installing the casings for future undergrounding of utilities in Indian Rocks Beach. The final step will be the rebuilding of Gulf Boulevard.
The work is a partnership between the county and the state, said Pick Talley, director of county utilities. The state has contracted with the county for construction of the road.
Talley said Indian Shores issued bonds to pay for undergrounding of utilities as part of its involvement in the project. Indian Rocks Beach declined to underground utilities, so the county approved funding the installation of utilities casings to allow the work to be done in the future without disturbing Gulf Boulevard roadway.
Talley said the county was working on a contract with Progress Energy, Verizon and Bright House Networks for the casing work.
“We want to do the project one time,” Talley said. “It will be of significant benefit to the citizens to have the disturbance at one time – and it will be a disturbance.”
He said traffic management would be a priority during the project as there is only one way in and out for residents living in the construction area.
“We will use our green vest team, who will be working to do all they can for residents,” he said. “We want to put our best foot forward and minimize the impact to residents.”
Commissioner Karen Seel asked what assurances could be given that the project would go better than the project at Belleair Beach, which had numerous construction delays and other issues.
“Things didn’t go well,” Talley said. “The contractor made a poor performance in Belleair Beach. We have a better contractor for this one (project).”
Talley said the state estimated that the project would take three years. He said the county hopes to get it done in two years.
Talley said an accelerated construction schedule would reduce costs by as much as $2 million.
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Article published on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006
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