FERNDALE, Wash. — City of Ferndale Public Works Project Manager Katy Radder told members of the Ferndale City Council Monday that things continue to progress toward a start of the Thornton Street Overpass project.
Back in November 2018, it was determined sufficient funding had been secured to move forward with the project.
They continue to acquire access and rights to portions of private property in the work area. Radder said they have secured rights to 11 of 20 properties and the remaining 9 properties have 5 owners.
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Click for more informationRadder told My Ferndale News one of the first signs of activity will be early work by utility companies in the area as they relocate their poles and lines.
A request for bids from contractors is expected to go out late summer this year with a bid award expected in the fall.
One of the first visible things the contractor will be doing is relocating some underground city utilities. This will be done prior to hauling in dirt and/or sand that will be piled in large mounds. These mounds will compress the soil beneath, a process referred to as preloading, stabilizing it so there is less settling. Preloading will take approximately 18 months.
Once construction gets underway in 2021, it is expected to require somewhere between 18 and 24 months, Radder said. A lot will depend on how the contractor approaches the project according to Radder. “As things stand now, we are anticipating an opening in the spring of 2023. But we all know these dates can be expected to change.”