West 7th Street Storm Drain Repair Project To Begin In Benicia

BENICIA, CA — A project that will reinforce the bank of a public storm drain in Benicia is slated to start next week, the City of Benicia Public Works Department announced Friday.

Work will start on the West 7th Street Storm Drain Project on Wednesday, May 11. The project will reinforce the bank of the public storm drain swale — a trapezoidal channel — on the west side of West 7th Street between Carolina Drive and Cheryl Drive.

Work is scheduled between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and effort will be made to minimize impacts to residents, businesses and the traveling public, the city said.

The first order of work includes trimming vegetation, removing the existing cyclone fence, installing temporary traffic control barricades and pedestrian detours, and preparing for the installation of steel sheet piles, which will reinforce the bank of the public storm drain swale.

The sidewalk will be closed to pedestrians during construction because of the width of West 7th Street, the lack of sidewalk on the east side, the amount of space required by construction equipment, the need for the contractor to work over and across the sidewalk on the west side of West 7th Street, and concern for pedestrian safety.

Pedestrians will be required to use Drolette Way and Cheryl Drive as a detour.

The City Council approved a $444,750 construction contract for the project on Oct. 5, 2021, with Pleasant Hill-based Kerex Engineering. The contract included a 10 percent contingency in the amount of $44,475, for a total not-to-exceed amount of $489,225.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply of materials was delayed, including the sheet steel piles required for this project. Materials for this project have been secured and the contractor is ready to start construction.

Construction of the project, which is expected to be completed in June, is partially funded by a Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief Program grant in the amount of $345,659.