GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Construction for the West Street Project is set to begin within the next 30 days following approval from the city council on Tuesday. A vital piece of a project that has been years in the making was finally approved, 5-0.

The project’s construction contract was awarded following a bid of more than $2 million. The project aims to replace half a mile of stormwater pipe through the entirety of West Street, from Walnut Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Assistant City Manager and Public Works Director Mike Null said the project is something the city has been dwelling on for 10 to 15 years. The faulty pipe extends near Green Cove Junior High, raising many safety concerns.

“It is underneath the sidewalk. So, whenever that pipe collapses, the sidewalk fails. And, then we have concerns about school children,” Null said.

According to the city, the cost to complete the project is $1,133,000. However, $330,000 was funded by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Small Cities Development Block Grant Program, with the rest funded through the City Stormwater Utility User Fee.

Null said the city placed the contract out to bid about two to three months ago and two bids were made. One at approximately $2.2 million and the other at approximately $2.7 million. Null said the city ultimately chose to award the lower bidder, EltonAlan, Inc. Following the approval, Null said the project is set to bring positive changes to the city.

“We’ve been constantly repairing and repairing and repairing. It’s taken a long time to work up the funding to pay for the project. It’s going to make the area a lot safer, especially for the kids that are walking to school everyday,” Null said.

Construction for the project should take 10½ months.