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Ceremony to kick off sewer plant construction

By Caroline Trowbridge - | Feb 26, 2004

Tonganoxie City Council members on Monday zeroed in on upcoming sewer, street and waterline projects.

By far, the largest project on the city’s list of upcoming infrastructure improvements is a $3.7 million new sewer plant.

“It’s been a long time in coming, but we’re actually ready to start construction on the wastewater treatment plant,” said Pat Cox, who works with the city’s engineering firm, BG Consultants.

Cox noted that Mayor Dave Taylor had requested that the city hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the start of construction, an idea that Cox applauded.

“It’s been about five years in the making to get to this point, and I’m pretty excited,” Cox said.

Work on the plant was delayed last year, when the city received bids that soared over the engineers’ estimates. After reworking specifications, in an effort to reduce costs, the project was put up for bid again, and this time Cox and city officials were pleased with the results. And soon, BRB Contractors in Topeka will start work on the plant.

As work progresses on the sewage treatment plant, city crews will work to replace a sewer line that runs from Fourth Street to the plant, according to city superintendent Butch Rodgers, who estimates that will cost about $135,000.

Other sewer-related work on tap this spring and summer will be $25,000 worth of manhole improvements.

City crews also will focus on street projects. The most extensive will be construction of curbs, gutters and storm sewers and street overlay on River, Sixth and Eighth streets.

The $243,175 worth of work also will include widening Sixth Street by eight feet, and River and Eighth streets by nine feet, Rodgers said. The extensive project will affect 30 to 35 properties, he said.

Also on tap is $43,600 in repairs to Pleasant Street from Fourth Street to Washington Street.

“It’s due for something,” Rodgers said, noting the last work on Pleasant was in 1989.

And 12th Street between Delaware Drive and Raintree Park will need about $29,000 worth of work.

“I don’t know why it’s gone to hell, excuse my English, but it’s gone to hell,” Rodgers said.

Council member Velda Roberts, who lives on 12th Street, agreed.

During discussion of street projects, Mayor Dave Taylor said he wants the city to look at additional sidewalks, particularly where children walk to and from school.

“We can work on it if you’ve got the money to pay for it,” Rodgers told the mayor.

“I think it’s an accident waiting to happen,” Taylor said about the fact that Pleasant and Church streets have no sidewalks.

Rodgers said he also plans to complete water line and fire hydrant improvements that will total about $25,800.

The city council also gave approval to a request to update a computer model of the city’s waterline system. The work will be performed by the city’s engineering firm, BG Consultants, at a maximum of $16,500. Brian Kingsley of BG said the city has received complaints about low water pressure during peak water-use times in the southern portion of town.

The work will help the city plan for subdivisions, as well as any possible construction by the school district, he said.

“I think it sounds like an excellent plan, and we should go forward with that,” Roberts said.