CLARIFICATION: Clinton Keith/I-215 Completion Date Stalled

CLARIFICATION June 26: According to EMWD spokesperson Roxanne Rountree, the construction is not held up due to an Eastern Municipal Water Line.

"The contractor, managed by the City, did not mortar the interior lining of the pipe to specs and it had to be redone. This was completed on the 15th of June; however, we still have not received the compaction letter from the soil company allowing us to proceed. By law, we cannot proceed until we have this in hand," Rountree said in an emailed statement.

Once that is received, Rountree said EMWD staff will go out and observe the pressure testing of the pipe.

"When the pipe passes the pressure tests it has to be sterilized by chlorination twice and flushed. Samples will be taken by EMWD staff and if the tests clear, EMWD will observe the contractors tie-in. The sterilization process will take approximately 4-5 days.

"EMWD is not stalling the project. We cannot begin testing until the work is done by the Cities contractor."

Murrieta Patch apologizes for not attempting to contact EMWD on the matter prior to the article being ran. The City statements used in the article were taken from a City Council meeting held June 21.

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ORIGINAL POST June 22:

Residents will have to wait a few more weeks than previously expected for the completion of the interchange and widening at Clinton Keith Road and Interstate 215.

City officials previously announced a June 30 completion date, now changed to July 22.

City Engineer Pat Thomas said Tuesday the hold-up was due to an Eastern Municipal Water District line. The large water transmission line, which runs across the bridge, has been tested for contamination and failed, meaning there are leaks, he said.

Therefore, Thomas said water tie-ins needed to be adjusted, stalling the project as a whole. The city is working with EMWD to set a new testing date, with a new one set for this week.

Mayor Pro Tem Doug McAllister asked whether July 22 was a realistic timeline.

"I have this fear that we are going to get into the new school year and this is not going to be done," McAllister said. "Is this real? Are there any other major issues?"

The construction has affected traffic flow near Vista Murrieta High School. McAllister pointed out that the original completion date was March.

"My sense with this project is that it has been a problem project. Going forward if the agencies are not responding, let us know so we can deal with those issues," McAllister advised Thomas.

Mayor Randon Lane asked when the water issue over the bridge was identified.

"We were thinking it was May, then it got moved to June," Lane said about the completion date.

"At what point did we identify or inform Eastern Municipal?" Lane asked.

Thomas said they city has been working with EMWD for at least 60 days on the matter.

He gave a timeline of when various aspects of the project would be completed. The south side of Clinton Keith Road will be completed between June 24 and July 1; the median curb and gutter between June 27 and July 1; the final paving on July 7; and the profile grind/joint seal of the bridge between July 11 and July 15.

"The substantial completion will be July 22," Thomas said.

Landscaping will not be done at the same time, however, as he said the city will bid out the job.

While the Clinton Keith project is stalled, Thomas said the Meadowlark--renamed Whitewood--expansion through to Baxter Road and Loma Linda University Medical Center-Murrieta is almost ready for final paving. It should be open to motorists within a week and a half, he said.