Water pollution reduction in Lower Makefield got a boost last month when the township board of supervisors approved two proposals by Remington & Vernick Engineers to provide design and other services for two projects aimed at complying with federal regulations on pollution control.
Approved unanimously were RVE proposals to do various kinds of prep work for projects at the township-owned 285-acre Five Mile Woods Nature Preserve at 1305 Big Oak Road and the Pennsbury School District’s Charles Boehm Middle School at 866 Big Oak Road.
The Five Mile Woods project would replace a current compacted stone driveway and parking lot with asphalt. The school project is a stream bank restoration on the Boehm property.
Township Manager David Kratzer explained the approvals authorize RVE, the firm of township Engineer Andy Pockl, to proceed with Phase One of both Big Oak Road proposals, which involve preparing and submitting grants at costs not to exceed $4,600 for Five Mile Woods and $4,000 for Boehm.
Township officials say they hope Lower Makefield can obtain grants to partially or fully pay for both projects.
Total costs for the RVE proposal at Five Mile Woods are not to exceed $51,080, with subsequent phases to include a site survey, preparing base plans, drafting and soliciting bids and other items. The actual project will include line striping and signage, with construction costs to be determined once bids are received, as will also be the case with the Boehm stream bank restoration.
The engineering firm’s costs for its work on the middle school project are not to exceed $77,700, with subsequent phases to include a site survey, cost estimate for construction, design plan, drafting and soliciting of bids and other work.
Supervisor Daniel Grenier said the stream bank restoration could be a valuable STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) experience for students and teachers at Boehm while also helping to meet the township’s water pollution reduction requirements.
Board Chairman Fredric Weiss briefly questioned why the township is undergoing the Boehm project and not the school district.
“I have a little bit of a philosophical problem with it,” said Weiss, who nevertheless seemed satisfied after some brief discussion and voted in favor of the RVE proposal. Plans for the stream bank restoration come at the same time that Boehm is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation.
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