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City’s water main project gets the go-ahead

by By Julie Engler, For the Pilot
| February 2, 2022 1:00 AM

At a January meeting, the Whitefish City Council voted unanimously to move forward with the Spokane Avenue Water Main Replacement Project.

Council previously agreed to replace the water main that runs beneath Spokane Ave before the Montana Department of Transportation makes improvements to the pavement and crosswalks in the area.

Public Works Director Craig Workman explained the engineering and design contract had been awarded to Morrison-Maierle and said they were “ready to request permission to proceed with the final design, public involvement and procurement of materials.”

The current project estimate is $2.45 million. The city’s fiscal budget for cast iron water main replacement is $1 million. With a grant from the American Recovery Plan for $1.45 million the city has the funds for this project.

The existing cast iron water main has suffered several leaks and was described in the meeting as “dilapidated”. The new main will be PVC installed in the existing main’s location.

Public outreach to educate the public about the schedule and what to expect during construction will begin soon.

According to Workman, during construction there will be one lane, two-way traffic at all times and an arborist is required to be on-site during construction near the larger diameter trees.

Board member Frank Sweeney moved to “proceed with the final design and Spokane Ave Water Main Replacement Project including pre-procurement of any necessary materials.” His motion was seconded by board member Giuseppe Caltabiano, and it passed unanimously.

The next City Council meeting is Feb. 7.