City to hire consultant for Balboa Village improvements

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT BEACH -- City Council members are expected to hire a

consulting company to oversee the $8.8-million Balboa Village

Improvements project tonight.

City staff has proposed that the council hire Harris & Associates for

$361,100 to provide construction management, inspection and materials

testing during the first phase of the construction.

The project, to proceed in three phases beginning in November, will

add parking at the pier, repave the area’s cracking streets and

essentially redo Balboa Pier.

New lighting and sewers will also be installed under the proposed

plan, and the restrooms at the base of the pier are to be rebuilt.

The city will save time and resources by hiring the consulting

company, City Manager Homer Bludau said.

“It would take a full-time person or more to oversee a project of that

magnitude,” he said.

The company’s job description includes ensuring safety during the

building, making sure schedules are met, monitoring design changes,

planning and gauging traffic control measures, and keeping the community

informed about lane closures and sidewalk and driveway construction.

The first phase of the project is the largest and most complex part

that involves the reconstruction of Balboa Boulevard, replacing the

roadway and constructing new sidewalks, according to a staff report.

These are all activities that involve extensive planning and traffic

control, the report said. The consultants will also provide construction

management services for the reconstruction of Washington Street and the

Balboa Pier restrooms.

Bludau said bids are out for the project. He expects the council to

pick a contractor by October.

“This is a time-sensitive project,” Bludau said. “We would like to

have it completed before the summer visitor season next year.”

Tonight, council members are also expected to approve a Web link to

the city’s main Web site to provide the public more information about the

first phase of the Balboa Village Improvements project.