City construction projects for sewer, sidewalk in progress

As construction season gears up, Kirksville residents are seeing evidence of the city's latest engineering projects.

On the Square, the new sidewalk project is underway. Newly piled bricks and freshly laid concrete provide visible confirmation of the work being done.

Kirk Ranson, city engineering technician II, said he thinks owners on the Square think the disruption caused by the construction is worth the improvements it will generate.

"I think the general consensus is that, yeah, it's a little bit of a mess, but it's only for a day or two in front of your business, and then you've got a new sidewalk," Ranson said.

Ranson said construction for the sidewalk project runs along Franklin Street from Washington Street to Normal Street. The scope of the project includes installing new lighting, widening the sidewalks and adding built-in Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps, Ranson said.

"A lot of people have been very happy with how [the sidewalks] have turned out and with how quickly the progress has proceeded," Ranson said. "We haven't had any real complications with the project."

Junior Lynette Henderson said she noticed the changes being made on the Square.

"I think it's quite messy," Henderson said. "I'm not sure how to cross the street anymore."

Despite the mess, Henderson said the project is a good thing.

"It's a good idea if [the Square] is going to be more accessible to handicapped people and people in general," Henderson said.

Ranson said the sidewalk project could take a month to two months to reach completion.

"It has a 90-day contract," Ranson said. "I'd estimate that within a month it will be finished, weather permitting."

The sidewalk project is one of several construction projects in progress within Kirksville's city limits. Another project in progress right now is the Route P sewer project, Ranson said.

The Route P sewer project was started several years ago when the city annexed properties to the east. As the city boundaries moved outward to include the annexed properties, it became evident that the annexed properties would need to be connected to the city's existing sewer lines and provided with sewer lines of their own, Ranson said.

"Also, it's in anticipation of further development," Ranson said. "As the city grows, those lands may be developed or turned into subdivisions."

After several years of planning, the construction phase of the Route P sewer project began this past winter. Despite unavoidable inconveniences, residents of the area have been very supportive of the project, Ranson said.

"We've really had excellent communication with the customers," Ranson said. "They've been very receptive. They understand that that's what it takes to put a pipe 12 or 15 feet into the ground."

The $500,000 project also includes adding two new pump stations in addition to placing pipes into the ground, Ranson said.

Although the sidewalk and sewer projects are two of Kirksville's most prominent construction projects to date, City Engineer John Buckwalter said he has several projects planned for the near future. These projects will include Jefferson Street renovations, concrete and asphalt construction on several city streets and work on Baltimore Street sidewalks.