At their meeting today, members of the Board of Supervisors authorized the Public Works Department to advertise the Morgan Territory Road repair project. Contractors will have four weeks to submit their construction cost bids. Four weeks is the minimum bidding duration to meet the requirements set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). After bids are opened, the County will be able to expedite the construction contract to the most responsive and cost-effective bidder due to the emergency declaration that was approved by the Board of Supervisors on March 7, 2017. The construction start date will depend upon the contractor’s access to necessary equipment and supplies for this project because resources for this project are in high demand. The start date will also depend on whether the slide has stopped moving and the County has approvals from FEMA in order to receive federal reimbursement. The region and state suffered significant storm damage from this winter’s storms. The County is positioned to begin construction at the end of June, however given that there is a demand for contractors and resources statewide, the project start date may be delayed. We will keep you informed as we get more information on timing. Please note that the road will need to be completely closed during the construction phase, with residents using the temporary access road that is to be constructed first. The County is currently working to obtain the required environmental permits from various state and federal agencies for the repair project.
The Public Works Real Estate Division has successfully reached agreements with all property owners on Leon Drive, and has a verbal commitment from the multiple owners/trusts on the Pacini parcel, and we anticipate signed agreements for that property in the next week. The County has not been waiting for the agreements to be signed in order to begin work on the access route; design and environmental clearance for this temporary access is proceeding simultaneously. Upon completion of these items, we will start improvements for an alternative access in advance of the broader repair project.