EDWARDSVILLE - A culvert replacement project totaling over $300,000 on Willow Creek Drive in Edwardsville is moving forward after discussion and approval by the City Council on Tuesday. It may not be the last project of its kind, with the city facing major construction costs as several culverts still need replacement.
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City Council members unanimously approved a Professional Services Agreement with Crawford, Murphy & Tilly (CMT) Inc. for the Willow Creek Drive Culvert Replacement Project in the amount of $317,210.
The city’s agreement with CMT specifically covers “the evaluation, design, and bid document preparation to replace the existing culverts under Willow Creek Drive near Gerber Road,” according to a summary of the action item within Tuesday’s meeting documents.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Alderwoman Jennifer Warren said the culvert is “in dire need of repair at this point, unfortunately.”
Alderman Hal Patton added that “this is not the only area that we’ll need to do this in the future,” estimating there are six or seven other culverts in need of replacement. While the city could face millions in construction costs to complete all of the work needed, Patton said it must be done to address an “emergency situation.
“The total cost of this project … could exceed $2.8 million in construction costs, which comes out to be about $35,000 a lot,” Patton said. “So these are some major, major costs, and we have to do it - it’s an emergency situation, it’s failing, and fortunately our engineers were able to catch it, but it’s just one of those things that make you gasp when you think of the upcoming expenses we’re going to be facing.
“Those are two potential complete road rebuilds in an older area of town on a culvert system that’s probably … 30 years old.”
The agreement with CMT for the Willow Creek Drive Culvert Replacement Project was then unanimously approved in the amount of $317,210. The project will reportedly be financed using funds from the Capital Improvement Program.
This marks the second agreement between the city and CMT approved on July 16, 2024, with the first regarding a $1.8 million engineering agreement for the Edwardsville Water Treatment Plant Improvements Project. More details about that project and agreement are available in this related story on Riverbender.com.
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