Public Works Lauded for Pace of Sewer Plans

The Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works has earned high praise for its aggressive efforts to complete a major sewer line in Odenton, after a meeting Thursday with developers and others involved in the creation of the Odenton Town Center.

Bruce Wright, a senior project engineer with DPW, updated members of the Odenton NOW Coalition on the construction of the sewer, which is seen as crucial to the development of millions of square feet of homes, office space and retail in town.

Those who attended the meeting said they came away impressed with the agency’s commitment and ingenuity to ensure the project is done quickly.

“[Wright] is doing a fantastic job,” said Bob Eitel, an engineer with christopher consultants ltd. “It’s certainly the most aggressive and assertive I’ve ever seen them in terms of problem solving and the schedule, and they’re looking outside the box. I think it’s Public Works’ best effort in years.”

Eitel is a member of the Odenton Town Center Plan Oversight Committee and has worked as an engineer on several development projects in the area.

DPW officials have said they hope to finish the sewer by January of 2014, but Eitel said the latest briefing led him to believe the project could be done as much as two months earlier.

“That’s almost unheard of for a large capital project,” Eitel said.

He said DPW has made two significant design changes that will save construction time but also lessen the chances that the construction will affect wetlands and be held up by environmental review. In addition, design changes will minimize the amount of private property that will need to be acquired for right-of-way.

“They really re-tweaked it and made it a much better project. I have to give them a lot of credit,” Eitel said.

Claire Louder, the president and CEO of the West Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, said the news from DPW was "beyond our wildest dreams."

"It just goes to show that they get how important this project is," she said. 

Meanwhile, DPW is also close to starting work on a main water line that will serve the Odenton Town Center area. The agency has awarded contracts to build two main segments, with construction starting as soon as July 1.

“This is really great news, because now things are happening and the water that’s  needed to serve the town center will be there. And that’s really happening fast,” Eitel said.