BEATRICE – It appears completion of the West Scott Street paving project in Beatrice between Sherman and Sumner Streets will be completed prior to this summer’s Gage County Fair set to begin in late July.
Constructors Inc. is doing the more than $500,000 project. The street was closed to traffic starting on Monday, and City Engineer James Burroughs says milling work has been done.
“They’ve already set most of the concrete storm sewer pipe and they’re getting ready to move forward with everything else. There will be a little bit of a delay before the cement stabilization base will go in on June 1st. But, they’re planning on being done with this whole thing by the middle of June.”
City officials met with Beatrice Public Schools representatives on parking and bus access at the nearby Beatrice Community Preschool, which is in session through the end of next week. Burroughs says the contractor is working well with residents who need access to their properties along West Scott.
“They’ve been great to work with and they are moving right along. They’ve already been in contact with every homeowner along that corridor making sure they can get in and out.”
Installation of new pedestrian rails on the West Court Street bridge is moving along, with city crews now installing panels on the north side of the bridge. Street Superintendent Jason Moore says both sides will likely be completed by early next week.
“Then we’ll have to move to the southwest corner where we have a sidewalk that’s tied into the railing, and the sidewalk is busted up. So, we will remove that railing section, pull out the sidewalk, form it and re-pour the sidewalk and then set the railing on.”
Moore says the city has received some complaints about holes in the driving lanes on the deck joints of the West Court Street bridge. Moore says, however, the state is responsible for fixing those on what is a U.S. Highway.
The city is also nearing completion of major improvements at the wastewater treatment plan, with the installation of centrifuges….a more modern way of separating liquids and solids at the plant.