SANDWICH – The Sandwich Boardwalk reconstruction process has been long plagued by delays, but following the Coast Guard’s recent approval, it is now moving ahead.
Assistant Town Manager Heather Harper said that the main hurdle was a permit acquisition process by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which turned out to be unnecessary, as the Coast Guard actually has jurisdiction.
“ We have our bid. It’s been on the street for several months. It’s been postponed several times due to the permitting delay, so we are hopeful that we’ll be able to open our bids for general contractors on February 17,” said Harper.
Harper added that the months of delays may have left their mark on the project, however.
“The biggest concern that we have moving forward is the budget. Estimates for the project were done over a year and a half ago now. The construction market has gone up and come back down, so we’re hopeful we’ll be in the ballpark for being able to afford the project,” said Harper
The Army Corps will still be involved through permitting for protective matting that will be used to preserve the local environment during the construction. Harper said the town hopes to start work this year and be completed by next spring.
About Grady Culhane
