Wellington staff presented details of the proposed South Shore Boulevard Force Main replacement Phase 2 and recommended awarding the construction contract to Johnson Davis.

The presentation explained the project would replace portions of an aging 8-inch force main with a new 18–24-inch main within South Shore Boulevard right-of-way to move the primary transmission route out of Palm Beach Polo and into Wellington’s ROW. "These mains are among the oldest in Wellington," Espance said, describing prior hydraulic modeling and route studies that produced a three‑phase plan; Phase 1 was completed in 2021 and Phase 2 is the segment discussed Thursday.

The design calls for a mix of open-cut installation (under sidewalk) and trenchless horizontal directional drilling at constrained crossings. The most challenging connection is beneath Forest Hill Boulevard; staff proposed a deep directional bore rather than trenching across the roadway. Espance said the contractor would need to shut down the right-turn ramp from South Shore to Forest Hill to stage drilling equipment, and estimated the staging there could take about two to four weeks depending on conditions.

Bids were opened for the work. Staff reported seven bids were received, with six close in price. The recommended low bidder was Johnson Davis, the contractor that completed Phase 1. The bid amount presented was $3,838,930. The agenda item also included a proposed $200,000 construction contingency and $152,010 for construction-phase services; staff recommended approval.

Staff said they plan to seek an off-season (summer) construction window to limit impacts to school traffic and noted the schedule depends on delivery times for large‑diameter pipe and fittings. Rolling lane closures are planned for much of the work; some locations will require hard lane closures where asphalt is impacted. Additional minor connections and two lift‑station tie-ins on the north side of South Shore are included in the scope.

No formal vote on award was recorded in the agenda-review session; staff presented the recommendation and invited questions.

Detailing next steps, staff said they will return with the formal contract authorization for Council action and continue coordinating traffic staging and material deliveries before setting a firm construction start date.