Waterline to impact traffic flow
by Brian DiTullio

CAREFREE – A new waterline is set to cross Tom Darlington Drive that, when completed, will improve service to the southern end of town.

Traffic flow will be affected on Tom Darlington for about seven to 10 days, according to Stan Francom, manager of Carefree Water Co.

Construction is scheduled to begin March 19. Traffic will be reduced to one lane northbound and possibly diverted to the southbound, west side of the divided roadway when necessary.

Town council approved Phase II of Carefree’s 10‑inch waterline extension project at its March 6 meeting. This portion of the pipeline will extend from Tom Darlington at The Boulders to the Languid Lane area in the Black Mountain foothills.

Francom said last Thursday the new line will allow the area to have “fire flow” water pressure, ranging from 60 to 80 pounds per square inch.

“You’ll be able to get about 1,550 gallons per minute at about 75 psi,” Francom told The Desert Advocate. “We could go higher, but that’s downhill and we don’t want to blow the system out.”

The Phase II contract is set for completion in 80 days. Should the project take longer, Francom said the contractor would be assessed $1,000 a day penalty for each day beyond the 80‑day time period, unless an extension is granted.

Reasons for an extension would include missed work days due to bad weather, “extraordinary circumstances,” or if the project is held up by an excessive amount of hard rock.

The chances of the project being delayed due to major excavation, or to adjust the pipeline’s alignment, is what council focused on.

The contract, awarded to Blucor Contracting Inc. for $318,474, includes a rate of $430 an hour for hard‑rock excavation, but that cost is not reflected in the bid–the reason being, according to Francom, the project may not require any excavation.

“It could be nothing; it could be $40,000,” said Francom at the meeting, adding the uncertainty is the reason for the “rock clause” in the contract.

Phase I of the project extended the line from Stagecoach Pass at Mule Train Road through The Boulders to Tom Darlington Drive. Phase III is designed to extend the 10‑inch waterline through the rest of the Black Mountain foothills to connect with Carefree residents within the Cave Creek Water Company area of service.

“They’re Carefree residents, but they’re on Cave Creek water,” said Francom about Phase III. “This will make sure our residents have good water flow.”

The pipeline originates at the water storage tank at the corner of Pima Road and Stagecoach Pass.