PROJECT NO. CIP 97-182 MYRTLE AVENUE UNDERGROUNDING AND
PROJECT NO. CIP 97-183 LOMA DRIVE UNDERGROUNDING –
STATUS REPORT

 

Recommendation:

It is recommended that the City Council receive and file this report.

 

Summary:

This report covers the progress made to date in the two utility undergrounding districts. Edison is currently in the process of completing the conversions in the Myrtle District. The installation of primary wires in the entire district has been completed and the secondary wires are currently being pulled.

The seven dip poles (poles at the boundary of overhead and underground systems) at various locations on the district’s periphery have been set up and the guy pole on the corner of Palm Dr. and Greenwich has also been installed. Of the nine (9) vaults within the district, set up of the required internal components for four (4) of them has been finished and the current schedule calls for completion of the remainder by April 15, 2001. The entire district will be upgraded to a 16,000-volt underground power system from the existing 4000-volt overhead system. The homeowners’ switchover will begin by approximately April 15, 2001, and, based on the present plan, locations on the Strand will be switched over first, followed by those on Silverstrand and Myrtle Avenues. The remainder will be switched over no later than May 31, 2001.

After sending final notices to the fourteen non-compliant homeowners in the Loma District, six have either finished or are completing their conversions, two have requested time extensions to finish their work and three have plans to rebuild their homes. The City has approved financial assistance for one property owner, and the status of two properties remains unclear.

Because Edison has assigned only one crew to complete both projects, the work in Loma District will not start until the Myrtle District has been fully switched over. However, the installation of the main power cable in Loma District is scheduled for the end of April 2001.  Verizon has ordered the materials to begin their work in the Myrtle District and have their subcontractor complete the work in Myrtle District by May 31, 2001. Adelphia will accordingly complete its work in Loma District.

 

Work Completed :

The substructure installation of ducts for electricity, telephone and cable has been completed per the original design plans. The placement of vaults, pull boxes, hand-holes and laterals to residents, as indicated in the initially drawn plans, has also been completed. Pavement repairs, striping, and final clean up of the reconstructed areas within the districts have been completed as well. Edison has completed the work in the public right-of-way on 27th Street, which will provide underground services for 252 - 27th St., and they have also completed the private property conversion for the same location at the owner’s expense. Installation of dip poles and guy poles in the Myrtle District in the public right-of-way has been completed.

 

Work in Progress:

Edison is finishing the installation of the required components (transformers, cables, etc.) inside the nine vaults within the Myrtle District.  Hendricks Cable Company, along with other electricians, is making the necessary corrections on an as-needed basis as requested by the City and Edison. Cutover notices to property owners for the first two streets in the Myrtle District will be mailed out by April 15, 2001.

 

Work Remaining:

The five homeowners whose conversion expenses are being provided by CDBG funds need to select an electrician immediately and begin their conversions. Two are in the Myrtle District and three are in the Loma District. Edison’s work in the Loma District has yet to be scheduled. Due to Edison’s assignment of only one crew to both districts, their work in the Loma District will not start until the Myrtle District underground system becomes operational. Verizon is expected to finish work in the Myrtle District as scheduled. While cable has already been undergrounded in the Myrtle District, Adelphia is on call should there be any unexpected problems.

 

Conclusions:

The level of cooperation among property owners has been extraordinary in both districts over the past few months. Both City and Edison inspectors have assisted in resolving problems with conversions. While the Edison crew has been handling emergency calls for other areas, they have been working progressively toward the scheduled completion date for the Myrtle District. Only the recent situation at Edison have caused the assignment of a single crew to both projects and they are doing everything possible to expand the size of this crew in order to expedite completion of both projects.

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