By MADDY VITALE
Residents in the Merion Park neighborhood of Ocean City have had their share of flooding problems over the years.
In 2014, the first phase of an ambitious flood-mitigation project by the city continues to offer some relief. But more needs to be done, officials and residents agree.
A second phase of the project will cost upwards of $10 million and will include three new stormwater pumping stations to protect Merion Park, a south end neighborhood, from flooding.
On Tuesday, competitive bids for the project were opened. The lowest bidder among four companies that sought the construction contract was L. Feriozzi Concrete Co. of Atlantic City. The company submitted a bid of $10.7 million.
At this point, it is considered the “apparent low bid” because it still must be scrutinized to make sure it meets all of the conditions required by Ocean City before the contract is formally awarded by City Council.
Following the opening of the bids, Purchasing Agent Joe Clark said that he anticipates a construction contract will be awarded as early as the next City Council meeting, at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22.
“We’ll review each packet to make sure they are compliant with the specs,” Clark said of the four bidders. “Then we will determine who the lowest qualified bidder is. It isn’t always just on price.”
Other measures that are planned in the second phase include new drainage pipes, road reconstruction to raise the streets, landscaped berms that would act as flood barriers and new gutters, curbs and sidewalks.
Michael Baker International is the engineering firm that designed the first phase of the mitigation project and is also handling the conceptual plans for the second phase. The company presented the city with a pre-bid estimate for the second phase of the project to cost around $11.9 million.
After reviewing the bid packets, Christine Gunderson, the manager of Capital Planning for the city, will verify that the city has sufficient funds for the project.
After that point, the city will speak with engineers from Michael Baker International.
“Engineers will also review the bids and come back with a recommendation of award to us. We will put all of that together and then do a resolution and get that off to the clerk,” Clark noted.
Residents of Merion Park have waited 10 years while the second part of the project was being planned, discussed and refined, including the pumping stations. The pumping stations are planned along the 34th Street-Roosevelt Boulevard entryway between the foot of the 34th Street Bridge and Bay Avenue.
Pumping stations intercept floodwater and channel it back into the bay much faster than it would normally take to drain off the streets after a coastal storm. They have proven effective in Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Avalon and other shore communities exposed to flooding.
Council gave approval in December 2023 to advertise for construction bids for the second phase of the Merion Park flood-mitigation project.
Clark said that after the contract is awarded, the project can begin construction.
He noted that the project’s timeframe will also be determined when the contract is awarded.
“We will go as quickly as we can,” he said. “This project is now on a fast track, unless we hit a major roadblock.”
