PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County road department has put the brakes on construction of an interpretive center overlooking the Elwha River.
The Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway Association plans to build a rest area with a 16-panel kiosk that will describe the history of the Elwha River and its $325 million dam removal and restoration project.
County Engineer Ross Tyler told the three commissioners Monday that each of the seven bids received last week was well above the $145,000 estimated cost of construction.
The facility overlooking the river at state Highway 112 and Lower Dam Road is funded by a $208,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration and a $77,000 county match.
The road department will re-evaluate the project and solicit bids for a third time using new specifications.
“That’s just the way we’ll do it, unfortunately,” Tyler told the board.
No contractors bid on the project in the first round of bidding late last summer because crews were already busy on other jobs, Assistant County Engineer Joe Donisi has said.
In the second round of bidding, Hoch Construction of Port Angeles submitted the low bid of $213,827. That’s 47 percent more than the estimate.
Elements of the project will be redesigned to lower the cost, with “lots of clarification” in the new specifications, Tyler said.
A 30-foot-by-30-foot wooden structure is envisioned to shelter the kiosk.
The interpretive center will be situated in an area off Lower Dam Road that dam removal contractor Barnard Construction used as a staging area during the three-year removal of the Elwha River and Glines Canyon dams.
The Clallam County road department has received part of its match from lease charges for the use of the staging area.
Elementary school students have painted 300 floor tiles for the interpretative center, which will become a signature attraction along the 61-mile National Scenic Byway when it opens next summer.
The mini-rest area will have a vault toilet, picnic tables and bicycle rack.
The project is a collaboration of the scenic byway association, the National Park Service and Lower Elwha Klallam tribe.
Meanwhile, commissioners Tuesday approved an agreement with state Department of Fish and Wildlife for the construction of a state fish ladder on Canyon Creek below a county-owned bridge.
There is no budget impact on Clallam County, Administrator Jim Jones said.
“This has actually been in the works for at least three years now,” Tyler said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsula
dailynews.com.
