CITY FOCUS: Project drains sellers

Construction of a new sewer line along South Coast Highway continues to snarl traffic and dampen businesses near Nyes Place, but an end is in sight.

The project, known as the North Coast Interceptor, was originally slated to be finished by February, but rain delays have pushed back that date to early March, Laguna Beach Director of Water Quality David Shissler said.

The 25-year-old pipeline will be replaced along the area of Coast Highway where there is a dip in the road and sewage would pool. The project hasn’t been easy.

In order to complete the North Coast Interceptor, construction crews had to build a new pipeline to divert the more than two million gallons of sewage that flows below the street every day.

The diversion pipeline had to have specialized equipment and fittings to tap into the main line. Shissler said now that the diversion line is finished, replacing the old line will be the easy part.

“Now we’re making great progress,” Shissler said.

Crews had to be extra careful when digging the main line. Shissler said the pipe’s original manufacturer has changed hands multiple times over the years since the pipe was installed and finding specifications was difficult. Shissler said their intelligence was sketchy and there was a chance this was a pipe that is notorious for breaking.

Which meant extra caution was in order, which made work slower.

“In this case there was no room for error; it had to be perfect because if it failed it would be a disaster,” Shissler said. “We had to assume the worst and prepare for that.”

But while delays in the project were necessary, businesses along Coast Highway say they have been suffering and can’t wait for an end to construction.

Construction is along the center of Coast Highway, which pushes traffic lanes to edges of the street, eliminating storefront parking. Area business owners were concerned with how construction would affect business through the holiday season.

“We got hurt by it,” said Bill Merrill, owner of the Black Iris flower shop.

The city worked to address business concerns and provided five temporary parking spots along neighboring Cardinal Way. The city also provided signs to alert drivers that businesses are open. In another attempt to help attract customers, Laguna Beach offered each of the businesses $1,000 for advertising.

Merrill said he appreciates the efforts, but he just hopes to see the end. The construction just distracts people from looking at the store, he said.

“Instead of worrying about traffic, they can look around at the light and see us,” Merrill said. “A lot of people just drove by.”

Sandy Searle of neighboring business Heirlooms said construction has hit her even harder. She’s the only employee of her small designer shop and business directly affects her income.

She’s bitter at the city for what she conceives as a snub of Nyes Place businesses.

She said she doesn’t believe the city has been working on the project as fast as it could have.

“If it was in front of the Montage, it would have been done in a month,” Searle claimed.

But there’s little she can do, so she’s resigned herself to looking forward.

“I’ve decided to stop worrying about it because worrying would give me a heart attack,” Searle said. “And I can’t afford that because of the construction.”

Searle plans to use the $1,000 the city is offering to build a website for the store as well as get new signage out front. Despite her frustration with the speed of construction, Searle said she’s glad the sewer line is being replaced.

“I realize they are doing a good thing,” Searle said. “I don’t want sewage running into my store.”