Construction work was paused on the wastewater pipeline improvement project in Forest Hills. Photo by Renee Umsted.
Work on the wastewater pipeline improvement project in Forest Hills has been paused and delayed because of a disagreement between a contractor and subcontractor, a spokesperson for the City of Dallas said.
Construction was disrupted in March and May and has been stalled since at least June. But the prime contractor and their tunneling subcontractor are working toward an agreement and negotiating a schedule to resume work, the spokesperson said.
Dallas Water Utilities hopes that work will start back up this month.
These delays mean that the expected completion date for the project has been pushed back from fall 2023 to winter 2023, provided that the issues affecting the work schedule are resolved.
Dallas Water Utilities’ wastewater pipeline improvement project spans Garland Road, San Rafael Drive, San Fernando Way and St. Francis Avenue. About 4,210 feet of wastewater pipeline 30 inches in diameter is being built by tunneling construction. As of the end of June, tunneling work was 49% complete.
Existing pipe has deteriorated and is in poor condition, a city spokesperson told the Advocate in March, and the new pipe will be relocated to San Rafael Drive, San Fernando Way and St. Francis Avenue.
The work, which began November 2022, has resulted in street closures as several gigantic holes (such as the one above, taken near the intersection of San Fernando and White Rock Drive) have been created in the middle of the road, affecting residents and visitors of Forest Hills.
Since work has been paused, the construction sites have been blocked off by barriers and temporary chain-link fencing. Some machinery has been removed from the site.
