A South Whidbey road project that got swept under the rug is at last receiving some attention.
Construction is expected to begin next year on the Edgecliff Drive Outfall Project, a partnership between Island County and the city of Langley.
During a county commissioners’ work session last week, County Engineer Ed Sewester brought up the project, which originated in 2022 and “somehow got put on the shelf and never initiated,” he said.
The county plans to replace a 24-inch pipe under Edgecliff Road in eastern Langley, extending it by about 120 feet. The pipe allows water to run off a 100-foot drop from a cliff, which Sewester said is starting to show signs of erosion on the bluff side. The new extended pipe will go all the way down to the shoreline, saving the bluff from further erosion.
Since the city has a water line that runs over the top of the current pipe, county officials have been attempting to merge two different contracts and have established an interagency agreement. The city’s water distribution utility within the county right-of-way conflicts with the Edgecliff Drive Outfall Project and will need to be relocated.
According to a memo from Sewester, the engineering estimate for the project is $480,975, which includes approximately $66,900 that will be reimbursed from the city of Langley per the interagency agreement for the relocation of the water line.
“The city is relying on us to do the work,” Sewester said. “We’re finalizing the design, and we hope to come to the board within the next couple of months with the bid package so we can go out to advertise.”
Commissioner Jill Johnson, however, was leery of the city of Langley’s track record when it comes to reimbursement. She said the interlocal agreement will need to go on a future regular agenda because she plans to vote “no” on reimbursement since the city didn’t pay what it owed in a previous instance, which involved a sidewalk construction project.
“I won’t vote to enter into an after-the-fact relationship with them, because they have not proven that they are good partners in repayment,” she said.
Sewester appreciated her comment, saying county officials have already gone “round and round” with them to get to this point.
