Northwest 9th Street Neighborhood Infrastructure Project

Project Type:

Capital Project

Project Status:

Design/Engineering

The City of Florence NW 9^th Street Neighborhood Project is a Direct Appropriation from Oregon Senate Bill (SB) 1530 that was awarded to Florence during the 2024 short legislation session.

The City was identified as a local government to receive funding for an infrastructure project to catalyze building much needed housing in Florence. The project unlocks an undeveloped section of the community in the heart of the City with easy access to all necessary and discretionary amenities and services.

As part of our application to the State, the City put forth City owned blocks in the heart of the City Center to construct local streets and utilities to create ready to build lots at a cost of $1.9 million. With the infrastructure investment in the public rights-of-way (ROW) for transportation related facilities, water, wastewater, stormwater and open space (park) the City can unlock and provide access to 6 privately owned blocks and two City owned blocks creating ready to build lots for a minimum of 113 to 176 units of housing for the area that we are calling the Northwest 9th Street Neighborhood.

We anticipate that construction engineering services will be completed late winter 2025 and the project would be advertised for competitive bid in late March 2025, with Florence City Council awarding the project to a general contractor in April 2025. A notice to proceed to the contractor to begin construction is anticipated to be issued late May 2025. Construction is anticipated to take 120 days for substantial completion with final completion occurring within 30 days of substantial completion (total of 150 days from notice to proceed). Depending on weather and the contractor, we anticipate that the infrastructure project (water, wastewater, streets and stormwater) for the NW 9^th Street Neighborhood Project to be completed November 2025.

Status Updates

August 1st, 2025

Ray Wells, Inc. mulched vegetation within the 11th Street right-of-way between Hemlock and Greenwood Streets. After using their forestry mulcher, the crew removed trees and began clearing the root mat. While clearing the area, the contractor discovered an old spoils pile from when Greenwood was extended. Fortunately, after 25 years the material had decomposed into soil. The area remains soft, but with over-excavation, proper fill, and compaction, it will be suitable for the new roadway without future settlement issues.

July 25th, 2025

Ray Wells, Inc. continued hauling brush to the airport for mulching under our FloGro program and has been actively removing root mat in the 10th Street corridor (between Greenwood and Fir). They’ve also placed gravel for a temporary roadway and continued work around 11th and Fir Streets—carefully avoiding wetland and riparian areas in the northwest corner while state and federal fill permits are under review.

July 18th, 2025

Ray Wells Inc. has continued to clear and grub the new right-of-ways focusing on 10th Street and Fir Street this week. A portion of the planter strip in Greenwood Street was removed to provide a new driveway access to the Elm Park PUD.

July 11th, 2025

A preconstruction meeting was held on Wednesday, July 9th, with the contractor, RH2 Engineering, and Central Lincoln PUD. With Ray Wells, Inc. already mobilized nearby, they quickly began work. Crews mulched understory vegetation in the Fir Street right-of-way between 9th and 10th Streets. Although this portion of Fir Street will not be improved, it will house the sanitary sewer line serving the development and provide PUD access for power installation.

July 4th, 2025

The subcontractor for the developer, Ray Wells, Inc. has been busy using their forestry mower attachment to the track hoe to mow/mulch the undergrowth on the property. Once the undergrowth was mulched, the crews from Ray Wells, Inc. removed the trees. The tree limbs, stumps and larger wood waste will be taken to the airport to be mulched and used in our composting operations. According to the contractor, the trees have value and will be sent to a mill for lumber.

June 27th, 2025

Ray Wells has been on site clearing the private lots. Once they have the notice to proceed from the City they will start clearing City right-of-ways as well.