PORT ANGELES — Pile-driving for a new sewage pump station on the west end of downtown is expected to begin by about 2 p.m. today.
The original plan was to begin Monday to use a crane with a pile driver to vibrate 86 pairs of 50-foot-by-4-foot sheet-metal pilings into the earth.
Work was postponed because of a delay in shipping a new computer to replace a broken one in the crane, said Jeff Bender, civil engineer and the city of Port Angeles’ manager for the $15 million phase two of the combined sewer overflow (CSO) project.
Subcontractor Axis Crane of Sherwood, Ore., will bring in a second machine to augment its equipment, allowing workers to begin the job, according to Bender.
“Axis is planning to work seven days a week to catch up,” he said.
He did not know the hours planned but said pile-driving is not permitted between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Traffic likely will be narrowed to one lane, with delays expected.
The new pump station is part of the project to prevent spills of diluted, treated sewage into Port Angeles Harbor.
The pilings will form a new foundation for the building, which is necessary because the site is filled-in former tidal flat.
When finished, the pump station at 314 Marine Drive will be able to handle 28 million gallons of sewage per day instead of the present pump station’s 8 million gallons.
The contractor for the project is TEK Construction Inc. of Bellingham.
