Flooding Relief on Way for Highland Heights

About a year after deciding bids for sewer work on Jefferson Drive were too expensive, Cuyahoga County officials have awarded a contract for the project.

Service Director Thom Evans told City Council at Tuesday's meeting that Liqui-Force Services, a company out of Michigan, was awarded a $360,460 bid to do the work. The project will be funded entirely by the county.

The estimated cost of the project was $700,000. In October 2010, the bids were double that estimate. Evans said Liqui-Force was able to come in so much under the estimate and previous bids because of new techniques the company uses.

Evans said the company saves money when lining sewers by using a robotic device within the sewers that saves digging up yards to find lateral connections.

"They can line those laterals without having to find those test tees," Evans said.

Councilman Robert Mastrangelo was amazed at the difference in bids from last time.

"It does seem incredible that it's 75 percent less than it was a year ago," he said.

Construction is expected to begin in late February or early March.

Evans said the sewer flow will be monitored and county and city officials will evaluate the percentage of inflow that is removed from the system. If the project is successful, it could led to similar ones elsewhere in the city, he said.