MONROE - The work to reconstruct 16th Avenue is being done in conjunction with work to upgrading water, wastewater and gas lines.
At an informational meeting about the entire project Tuesday night, City Engineering Supervisor Al Gerber and Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Gerald Ellefson said they worked together on planning to complete the projects at the same time so as to save costs and to ensure integrity of the street.
The old sanitary sewer system is about 70 years old, Ellefson said. It is made of tile, and some of it sits on bedrock, instead of proper bedding.
"It's like taking your good china and dropping it on cement," Ellefson said.
The city will replace the sewer laterals from the mains to the terrace. The sewer laterals are technically owned by property owners, but Ellefson said they will be replaced to ensure that the street will not have to be opened up to fix ones sure to fail soon.
Eight-inch pipe will replace the old 6-inch pipes to bring them up to DNR code. The sanitary sewer will be lowered not only to accommodate the change in pipe size, but also to decrease the chance of sewer backups. The laterals' angle of drop will increase as well. Sewer work will include the 500 block of 16th Avenue.
Old lead water service lines will also be replaced.
The water and sewer work is being funded out of utility rates is not part of the assessments to property owners.
Gas lines in the area will also be located and replaced lower in the ground. The cost for those replacements are responsibility of the gas company.
Director of Public Works Kelly Finkenbinder said the gas lines are straight and made of steel, unlike the flexible lines of today. But that will make them easier to find, he said.
The location of the gas main is known, and the west side of the street will be easy to follow. It is the gas pipes that cross the street to houses on the east side that need to be located.
Excavating machinery can dig within 6 inches to a foot of the lines to collapse the dirt, Finkenbinder said.
The gas company will be on site during the excavating. If gas needs to be shut off, residents will be notified. Gas company employees will re-ignite any appliances in homes.
Residents affected in each day's work area will be notified so they can get their cars out by 7 a.m.
Ellefson said he doesn't know how long the projected will take. It depends on whether the bedrock is still solid or has become fragmented by freezing and thawing over the years.
However, the road will be built to passable status every night, as a requirement of contractors, so residents can get into their driveways at night.
Ellefson said the contracts out for bids are looking at a June 2 start date, barring any rain delay.
Gerber said curb and gutter replacement is expected to begin mid-August, and asphalt would be laid by the first week in September.
Gerber said the new street will be 33 feet wide, which is more typical for streets. The high-grade asphalt layer will be 4 inches thick, enough to accommodate 18-wheelers.
The life expectancy for the curb and gutter is 40 years and 20-25 years for asphalt before milling will be needed to extend the life of the street, he said.
Trees on the avenue were trimmed last week and will stay, Gerber said.
Gerber estimated the last time work had been done on the street was in 1978 or 1979, with an overlay of asphalt.
Work on the 900 block of 16th Avenue will be included with the Eighth and Ninth Street project, which is still on hold.
Mayor Ron Marsh said the Department of Transportation asked the city a year ago to wait on the project, because it was short on funds for grants.
"It was set back, because they don't have the money to give," he said at last night's meeting.
At an informational meeting about the entire project Tuesday night, City Engineering Supervisor Al Gerber and Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Gerald Ellefson said they worked together on planning to complete the projects at the same time so as to save costs and to ensure integrity of the street.
The old sanitary sewer system is about 70 years old, Ellefson said. It is made of tile, and some of it sits on bedrock, instead of proper bedding.
"It's like taking your good china and dropping it on cement," Ellefson said.
The city will replace the sewer laterals from the mains to the terrace. The sewer laterals are technically owned by property owners, but Ellefson said they will be replaced to ensure that the street will not have to be opened up to fix ones sure to fail soon.
Eight-inch pipe will replace the old 6-inch pipes to bring them up to DNR code. The sanitary sewer will be lowered not only to accommodate the change in pipe size, but also to decrease the chance of sewer backups. The laterals' angle of drop will increase as well. Sewer work will include the 500 block of 16th Avenue.
Old lead water service lines will also be replaced.
The water and sewer work is being funded out of utility rates is not part of the assessments to property owners.
Gas lines in the area will also be located and replaced lower in the ground. The cost for those replacements are responsibility of the gas company.
Director of Public Works Kelly Finkenbinder said the gas lines are straight and made of steel, unlike the flexible lines of today. But that will make them easier to find, he said.
The location of the gas main is known, and the west side of the street will be easy to follow. It is the gas pipes that cross the street to houses on the east side that need to be located.
Excavating machinery can dig within 6 inches to a foot of the lines to collapse the dirt, Finkenbinder said.
The gas company will be on site during the excavating. If gas needs to be shut off, residents will be notified. Gas company employees will re-ignite any appliances in homes.
Residents affected in each day's work area will be notified so they can get their cars out by 7 a.m.
Ellefson said he doesn't know how long the projected will take. It depends on whether the bedrock is still solid or has become fragmented by freezing and thawing over the years.
However, the road will be built to passable status every night, as a requirement of contractors, so residents can get into their driveways at night.
Ellefson said the contracts out for bids are looking at a June 2 start date, barring any rain delay.
Gerber said curb and gutter replacement is expected to begin mid-August, and asphalt would be laid by the first week in September.
Gerber said the new street will be 33 feet wide, which is more typical for streets. The high-grade asphalt layer will be 4 inches thick, enough to accommodate 18-wheelers.
The life expectancy for the curb and gutter is 40 years and 20-25 years for asphalt before milling will be needed to extend the life of the street, he said.
Trees on the avenue were trimmed last week and will stay, Gerber said.
Gerber estimated the last time work had been done on the street was in 1978 or 1979, with an overlay of asphalt.
Work on the 900 block of 16th Avenue will be included with the Eighth and Ninth Street project, which is still on hold.
Mayor Ron Marsh said the Department of Transportation asked the city a year ago to wait on the project, because it was short on funds for grants.
"It was set back, because they don't have the money to give," he said at last night's meeting.