Anchorage Assembly weighs $193,351 more for Government Hill storm drain study

The Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday, Oct. 20, considers a $193,351 amendment to Stephl Engineering's contract for the West Bluff Drive/Ocean Dock Road storm drain. It would raise the engineering contract from $480,000 to $673,351 and extend the work through April 30, 2027. The amendment is on the consent agenda, which the agenda describes as typically routine items that are not required to be set for public hearing.

Contamination in the drain pushed cleaning costs past what the original contract covered. The Assembly memorandum on Amendment No. 1 says the system held significant hydrocarbon contamination. The extra cleaning costs left less money for the other work the 2023 contract was meant to cover, including environmental and geotechnical investigations and a design study.

The new money would pay for a storm drainage capacity analysis, a design study memorandum and coordination with stakeholders. Depending on what the design study finds, the contract allows a later amendment for design, bid and construction assistance. The funding comes from Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area bonds. The administration of Mayor Suzanne LaFrance recommends approval.

The city's 2022 approved capital budget described petroleum contamination in the storm drain coming from Government Hill and said the project had not yet started. The 2027 proposed capital budget lists pipe cleaning, geotechnical work, environmental sampling and a condition assessment as complete. It says the design study report is underway and that cost-sharing discussions could affect the design schedule.

No construction money is attached to this amendment. The 2026 approved capital budget says the city will seek construction funding once a solution and its cost are known.