Reconstruction planned for 2020
By Angie Landsverk
The city of Waupaca is preparing for the reconstruction of Granite Street, from Harrison to Main streets.
“We don’t know the exact start and end dates,” Public Works Director Justin Berrens said during a March 10 informational meeting.
Bids will be opened April 2.
Work usually begins in early May and wraps up the end of August, he said.
“We will shut it down to through traffic from start to finish,” Berrens said.
Local traffic will be maintained.
Those who live in the construction zone will be able to get to and from their homes, Berrens said.
If the water needs to be shut off or the contractor has to work in a driveway, the homeowner will be notified in advance, he said.
The project includes reconstruction of the street, replacement of the water main, sanitary sewer repairs and storm sewer modifications as needed.
Sidewalk, curb and gutter will be replaced when needed.
The city will pay 100% of the cost of any curb and gutter replacement, Berrens said.
Any sidewalk replacement will be a 50/50 cost share between the city and property owner, he said.
Sewer, water main
The sewer and water main work is the city’s full cost.
Berrens said the sanitary sewer work will be done the next couple of weeks and not require shutting the street down.
“It will not be done the traditional way. We’re using a newer technology,” he said. “We will feed a tube down the manholes and into the sewer line.”
When the works takes place, the city asks that little to no sewer be used.
“We will identify the dates and times it will happen,” Berrens said.
He said the old clay pipe has lots of cracks, as well as roots and debris in it.
A liner will be added.
“We won’t have to dig into the street to do it,” Berrens said.
The water main under Granite Street will be replaced.
The cast iron pipe is more than 100 years old, he said.
It is identified for replacement, along with the service lines and hydrants.
Property owners on the street will receive a notification when the crew will shut off the water, he said.
Water disturbances should be limited because a temporary water service will be installed, Berrens said.
Replacing lead components
In addition to the age of the pipes, the other reason the city is replacing the water main is because it knows lead components are present, he said.
Berrens said it was common to use lead goosenecks in the 1930s and 1940s for connections to mains.
“The city wants to take care of its side,” Berrens said.
It is responsible for the service line from the water main the curb.
Property owners are responsible for the service line from the curb to their home.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommends service line replacement all the way to a home when a municipality is replacing its part of the line, Berrens said.
Shared costs
The DNR created a fund to help cover the cost of replacing private water lines.
In 2017, the city applied for and received DNR Lead Service Line Program funds to cover work on a portion of Lake Street.
It was eligible for up to $200,000 and used about half of that amount.
Berrens said the funds leftover from the Lake Street project will be used for Granite street.
If the funds do not cover the entire cost of the private line replacements agreed to by property owners, those property owners will have to pay what remains.
Berrens said that cost could be paid in full or as an assessment.
“People don’t have to agree to it,” he said of replacing their private water line. “But if they say ‘No,’ the city needs to get in their house afterward and test their water.”
Berrens said if a high lead level is shown, the DNR will tell the property owner the line must be replaced.
It would then be the property owner’s full cost.
The Granite Street project will also include reconstruction of the parking lot at Granite and Washington streets, as well as the alleys on the west side of Main Street, from Badger to Granite streets.
“The alleys will be staged, Berrens said. “We will work with the contractors to do one block at a time.”
He said the reason for the staging is because downtown businesses rely on the alleys for deliveries and garbage pickup.