ROCKINGHAM — LKC Engineering will be responsible for another water-related project in Richmond County.
The Board of Commissioners last week approved an agreement with the Moore County-based firm for the engineering of a sewer pump station near the southern end of Rockingham Speedway’s property.
Public Works Director Jerry Austin said there will be no infrastructure work on the speedway property — “this is all public property.”
“We’ve been working with LKC on numerous projects over the last six years and they’ve been on this project from day one,” Austin said. “We’ve got a very good relationship.”
In addition to the station itself, the project also calls for the installation of 3,400 feet of 8-inch forced main sewer line down N.C. 177 to the intersection with E.V. Hogan Drive, across from CSX, according to Austin.
The project does not include the internal gravity sewer line on the speedway property.
The proposed capacity will be 500,000 gallons per day.
The total budget for the project is listed as $7,656,000. Austin said that estimate was as of June 23. However, with rising inflation, Austin said there’s a possibility the costs could increase.
A breakdown of the costs include:
- $1,190,000 for the construction of the pump station
- $4,846,000 for the construction sewer main line
- $861,000 for engineering services
- $604,000 for contingencies
- $155,000 for various related fees
Funding for the project comes from the $9 million appropriated to the county — via the American Rescue Plan — in 2021 “for water and sewer and related infrastructure projects for service to the Rockingham Speedway.”
Contrary to perception and most other media reports, the money did not go directly to the speedway and was specifically earmarked for water and sewer infrastructure.
Some of that funding was used late last year to repave the oval.
Austin said the funding has to be approved for use by 2024 and the project has to be complete by the end of 2026.
Finance Office Cary Garner told commissioners that the county is holding out for additional funding from the upcoming state budget.
Commissioner Jason Gainey asked if residents along the six-mile stretch would be able to tie in to the sewer line.
Austin said there would have to be extra infrastructure improvements for the neighborhoods along that road.
“You can’t just run out and tie in to the sewer main,” Ausin said, but added that it would be possible.
County Manager Bryan Land said the line would be passing several existing industries, including Enviva and CSX: “We’ve got a lot of opportunities.”
Land also mentioned Polivka International wanting to expand. That company, based in Weddington, was granted a synthetic minor air permit from the N.C. Division of Environmental Quality in January 2021 for the planned International Tie Disposal plant off of N.C. 177.
Commissioners also approved a resolution of intent regarding the closure and abandonment of a section of Lassiter Road, at the request of Vulcan Lands, LLC.
According to the resolution, the section is south of Tillman Road and north of Mary Evans Road.
The resolution is “conditioned upon NCDOT’s stated willingness and intent to abandon any property interests it has or may have in the roadway, easements, and/or rights-of-way…”
A public hearing is scheduled for the next meeting on Sept. 12.
