The-Daily-Record.com

City prepares for first phase of Beall streetscape

October 25, 2007

By BRYAN SCHAAF

Staff Writer

WOOSTER -- In the coming weeks, residents will see the first phase of the Beall Avenue streetscape project kicking off, as crews from McClintock Electric and G.E. Baker will begin a lengthy utility relocation process.

Wooster-based McClintock, which was awarded the project in September at a cost of $800,000, will be installing conduit for telephone, electric and cable lines that currently run overhead to be placed underground.

"Crews will start digging trenches and boring under driveways to install the conduit. Once we get that done, we'll run lines over to each residence for service," said City Engineer Joel Montgomery. "All the overhead lines will be abandoned. For a while we'll have two electrical grids running out there -- one overhead and one underground, but it should be a very minimal disruption of service when we make the switch."

Montgomery said he expects work to begin the second week of November and to have the first phase completed by summer.

"Most of the work that's happening will be behind the sidewalk," Montgomery said. "There will be construction vehicles there, but traffic will be maintained. Really, Beall Avenue has three lanes, so we should be able to keep traffic moving."

City council gave approval of the streetscape project in July, which will separate the storm and sanitary sewers to conform with Ohio Environmental Protection Agency standards.

"It's just going to be a wonderful connector with the college and the downtown," said Mayor Judi Mitten. "The problem is that it's going to take so long. I hope our citizens remember our businesses on Beall and go out of their way to support them. I think they tried to do that during the (Liberty Street) streetscape. It'll be wonderful when it's all done."

Mitten said the city explored the option of nighttime construction on the project, but it would've added an additional 10 percent to 15 percent to the cost.

The project is not expected to cost the city any more than the $1.8 million it originally planned to do the sewer separation, but with a $4 million donation from The College of Wooster and $2 million in funding U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula, R-Navarre, was able to attain, the sewer project grew into the streetscape.

The city will fund 34 percent of project costs and 38 percent of funding will come from The College of Wooster.

The entire project is expected to be completed sometime in late 2009 or in the spring of 2010.

Montgomery said the city has devoted an entire portion of its Web site to the streetscape project. That site can be viewed at www.woosteroh.com.

Reporter Bryan Schaaf can be reached at (330) 287-1645 or bschaaf@the-daily-record.com.