Kitty Hawk, N.C. (WTKR) - The Town of Kitty Hawk has opened bids on a contract to construct a floodwater management system on Hawks Street.
Kitty Hawk received three bids for the project that will collect storm water from an over wash into a collection basin that will then be piped to a pump assembly on Highway 12.
That infrastructure will allow Public Works crews to start pumping water back into the ocean soon after a storm subsides.
Town Manager John Stockton tells NewsChannel 3 that the three bids for the project were opened Wednesday from Envirotech Unlimited Construction Services for $24,759, R.P.C. Contracting for $33,870.00 and Barnhill Contracting Co. Inc. $46,150.
Johnny Pinner, who has a home situated between the Highway 12 and the 158 Bypass, is excited to see progress being made in addressing the flooding issues in his neighborhood.
"I'm glad they are doing something. You know - anything will be an improvement," Pinner commented.
His property has flooded numerous times over the years, most recently after Hurricane Sandy last fall.
"I had to put on waders - park out on the Bypass basically and put on waders and walk over here," Pinner explained. "[The water] has nowhere to go. Once it comes over the ocean, then it's in a little bit of a gully in this area and there is nowhere for it to run off."
While he's pleased to see progress, Pinner says he'll reserve judgement of the new system until he can see how effective it will be after a storm.
"It will take time to tell whether it is successful. Unfortunately something bad - which is another overwash - will have to happen before we find out if it's good," Pinner said.
The Town Council is expected to approve the awarding of the bid at their regular meeting on September 3.
After that, Stockton says a pre-construction meeting will be held on September 6 when a start date for the project will be established.
