By Ally Lanasa, Staff Writer

(Oct. 1, 2020) Berlin is seeking grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for future stormwater projects at Nelson Street, Franklin Avenue and Pine Street as well as West Street and Abbey Lane.

Darl Kolar, the project manager at EA Engineering, Science, and Technology Inc., presented the phased implementation approach for both projects to the Berlin Mayor and Council.

“This kind of phased approach is, I believe, like lack of funding,” Kolar said. “If we don’t get funding from FEMA, then let’s, in funding that we have on an annual basis, chip off to phases.”

The project at Nelson Street, Franklin Avenue and Pine Street would involve increasing the size of the stormwater pipe, Kolar said.

At this time, the design is substantially complete.

The total cost for construction, permitting and other fees is estimated at $850,000 based on the completion of the design.

The town has submitted a notice of intent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for $500,000.

“If the [notice of intent] is accepted, the town will proceed with an application, which is due here in, I think, in November,” Kolar said. “Again, we’ve applied for this one as well as the West and Abbey, and that funding is based on the expectation that it’s a 25 percent match.”

Kolar said he will also contact the Maryland Emergency Management Agency to split that cost, so the town would only have to match 12.5 percent of the expense.

The funding is targeted for nuisance flooding, not water quality projects, he added.

“You have to demonstrate impact by cost,” Kolar said. “So, we got to go back and track insurance claims, we got to knock on some doors and get real receipts.”

He said one of the next phases is to contact Verizon about the fiber optic in a concrete duct bank on Pine Street.

“It’s a lift to get that relocated,” Kolar added. “We do not have a firm quote in hand, but we know that has to be done.”

Some sanitary system improvements also have to be made on Pine Street.

The estimated costs for the stormwater projects are based on installing reinforced concrete piping.

“We can consider instead of the concrete pipe to go with galvanized, and as an engineer, I would be okay with that as long as that piping really isn’t exposed to the air,” Kolar said.

The galvanized pipe will rust if it is oxidized, but the concrete pipe will not.

As for the West Street and Abbey Lane project, the estimated total cost is $1.8 million.

The amount of roadwork, utility work and length and size of concrete pipe increase the cost, Kolar said.

That project has yet to be designed. Therefore, the assessment has been based on the concept layout.

Kolar said the town is applying for design services in the notice of intent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for $500,000.

“My thoughts for the design are, we have a small area that I think we can do some water quality improvements,” Kolar said.

If the Federal Emergency Management Agency accepts both notices of intent, Kolar said the town will have to make a decision to pursue both or one project based on the funding it will have to match.