Commissioners approve construction contract for wetlands project

Work on the Pickup Ponds wetlands mitigation project will begin soon, after commissioners approved a $994,568 contract with Suncor Construction Inc. for construction of the site.

The county will use the site as a wetlands bank to offset some of the costs of building and repairing roads and bridges. When the project is finished, the site will be restored to a wetland and riparian habitat, with water naturally flowing in and out from the river.

At the Nov. 3 public hearing, commissioners unanimously approved the contract. This was the lowest of five bids submitted for the project, the highest being $1,678,520.

Along with the wetland ecosystem and function as a mitigation bank, the project also includes better passive recreation opportunities. An out-and-back walking path will go into the wetlands site, with educational signs and seating on the southeast side of the property.

The county follows Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency regulations regarding wetlands mitigation, as required by the Clean Water Act.