The Albany City Council Wednesday approved a $3.2 million contract with C&M Construction of Sherwood to built a new sewer line from North Albany to the east Albany treatment plant.

The company will upgrade a sewer pumping station in North Albany and build a new force main to take sewage directly to the sewage treatment plant and not over the Lyon Street Bridge as happens now.

The project calls for running the new sewer main along the left bank of the Willamette River along the Takena Landing Trail, and eventually underneath the river to the treatment station on the south side.

The crossing would be accomplished by a "horizontal directional drill" under the river.

For a short distance, the line will zig-zag along the railroad trestle used by the Portland & Western. The city has rejected a demand by the railroad for a fee, the council was told earlier.

The project is to start soon and should be finished by late summer, the council was told.

The council Wednesday also:

• Voted to close a pathway near South Albany High School. (See A1)

• Listened to a 50-minute Arbor Week recognition ceremony.

• Declined to pass a resolution presented by area steel workers requesting that local materials be used as much as possible on federal economic stimulus projects in Albany. City Attorney Jim Delapoer said legal problems could develop by passing such a resolution. He will talk with steel workers to draft a document that shows support but would not be legally binding.

Cathy Ingalls