Adams Street project planning nearly complete

The engineering phase of a project on East Adams Street is nearly complete, according to city officials.

City Maintenance and Construction Superintendent J.J. Bell said the project will likely go for bids in the next two months, with construction starting this fall or next spring depending on weather.

City Administrator Brent Hinson said the project, which will pave Adams Street and install a sidewalk, curb, gutter and water main, was essential to the city’s five-year capital improvement plan.

“It’s the connector road, especially with 15th being paved in 2019,” Hinson said. “We’ve got a street connection from basically a nice connector route out to the highway that’s connected to an 18-foot-wide seal coat street, and you know, that needs to be remedied.”

Hinson said the city expects the project to total around $1.35 million including nearly $33,000 already spent for engineering costs and design work.

“The engineers are worth their weight in gold because it helps you get good municipal projects that last a long time,” he said. “It’s just very expensive to do new paving projects, and it adds up pretty quickly.”

Although the project initially included work on 12th Avenue, Hinson said it was downsized when another project went over-budget.

“We’re trying to create, on the southeast side, a really good collector street network,” Hinson said. “Adams is the higher priority because it’s a connector route up to that route on 15th. It’s not that 12th won’t get done, it’s just behind Adams, it didn’t make any sense to pave 12th and not do Adams.”