It's summertime; time for street repairs

McCOOK, Neb. — A total of $238,000 is estimated to be the cost of three street improvements still scheduled to be completed.

A total of six street improvement projects were approved by the McCook City Council this year, at a cost of about $1.2 million. Revenue for these projects is coming from city sales tax revenue at $250,000, used annually to fund street improvement projects, as well as buy-back dollars from the state and additional gas tax money.

The McCook City Council Monday night approved with other consent agenda items the plans and specifications for three 2019 street improvements that will be opened for bids:

-- sidewalk at the intersection of Wedgewood Drive and U.S. Highway 6 and 34: a small sidewalk will be constructed so pedestrians can access the traffic light, across from Walmart. 

-- West R Street extension: connecting R Street to West Seventh off of Q Street will increase access to the North Pointe housing development, north of Clary Village and Quillan Court housing developments and address safety issues.

-- Westridge Drive drainage, Phase I and II: new inlets and a new connection to an existing box culvert (underground concrete box), that carries stormwater to south of town to drain, by the old safety center. Also, new curb inlets at Westridge and F Street, and a new 42-inch pipe from D to B Streets. Three inlets will be constructed, two of them open-throat inlets on West Fifth.

The first two projects, the sidewalk across from Walmart and extending R Street, involve only paving and will be let out for bid as one contract. The drainage improvements will be let as a second contract, according to city manager’s report.

Bidders can submit bids for one or both contracts. Bid will be received at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26.

The most costly street project this year, the re-construction of Park Avenue from Norris to Kelley Park, is estimated at almost half a million, at $480,000. The bid for that project was given to the lowest responsible bidder, McCormick, from Colorado, according to Kyle Potthoff, City of McCook public works director. The expense of the project is due to the length of the street, he said, with repair estimated to begin in July.

Another high dollar street renovation that is scheduled to begin this summer is on B Street, at $1.5 million, funded by the city at $731,000 ($275,000 for three years ) and funds from the Nebraska Department of Transportation.

Expected to start the second week of July, the project includes B Street (U.S. Highway 83), from the east part of town west to the stoplight at Walmart, and U.S. Highway 34, from the junction of U.S. Highway 6 and 34 up to right before the Work Ethic Camp. Depending on the weather, it’s slated to be completed by late fall, said Drew Wilson, Dist. 7 Nebraska Department of Transportation construction engineer. Wilson said there will be at least one lane of traffic open at all times.

There is also Ravenswood Road, $252,000, funded by a grant from the NDOT, $137,500, $75,000 from the City of McCook and $40,000 from the McCook Economic Development Corporation LB840 funds.

The McCook City Council Monday night also approved a consent agenda item approving plans and specifications for that paving project and to receive bids on June 26. According to the June 3 city manager’s report, the traffic will be maintained in one direction during construction and because this road is the only access for those living on the street, a public meeting will be held prior to construction with residents to go over the scheduling and phasing