Municipality of Arecibo awards bid for coastal erosion mitigation project

By THE STAR STAFF

Arecibo Mayor Carlos R. Ramírez Irizarry announced that, as planned, the bid for the coastal erosion mitigation project in the area of the Radioville urbanization and the Barrio Obrero sector has been awarded.

The notice was published on Dec. 15, 2025 with a deadline for submitting proposals of Jan. 20 and the official award date of Feb. 20.

“As is customary in these processes, the names of the three (3) participating bidders and their cost proposals were read aloud. The bidders 3MG and PSC were present at the opening and were given the opportunity to review the proposals,” Ramírez Irizarry said. 

The winning bidder was Tetra Tech PR LLC.

The project to manage coastal erosion off the coast of Barrio Obrero and the Radioville development in Arecibo has received a budget allocation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the construction of two breakwaters, the mayor added.

In September 2025, a meeting was held at the Francisco “Paco” Abreu Community Center, where the mayor stated that “under our administration, the request for federal funds for the development of these projects was formally submitted.”

“We recognize the legitimate interest of the communities, who, prior to our administration, unsuccessfully sought government assistance to address this situation,” Ramírez Irizarry added.

Coastal erosion is one of the most pressing environmental and infrastructure problems facing Puerto Rico in general, and certain sections of the island’s coastline, including the northern coast in Arecibo in particular.

“It is important to note that a project of this nature, due to its complexity and the number of agencies involved, can take years to complete, requiring highly trained and experienced personnel from both the public and private sectors,” the mayor said.