Street repairs begin this summer
By JENNIFER WILSON
News editor
You notice it when you drive south on Washington Street past the big M.B. church. You see it when you park on Main Street.
And the problems don't end there.
There's no question that many of Hillsboro's streets and curbs are in desperate need of repair.
But help is on the way.
Beginning this summer, the city of Hillsboro is undertaking a massive street improvement program that will begin with the complete overhaul of the Grand and Washington intersection. And by 2005, most of Main Street will be repaired and updated as well.
First on the agenda is the intersection of Grand Avenue and Washington — one of Hillsboro's busiest intersections, and one that's in bad shape, said Steve Garrett, city administrator.
Construction should begin in mid-May and will probably last through the end of the summer, he said.
Hillsboro's plans for the intersection include:
— New surface. The entire intersection will be replaced with new concrete.
— Proper drainage. Right now, the intersection is so flat that water doesn't have anywhere to go and just puddles up, Garrett said. The project will install new gutters.
— Shorter fire department ramp. Because the incline into the fire station garage juts out into the street, it often causes problems for drivers heading south. The ramp will be shortened by six feet, and the street there will also be replaced.
— New water lines. Some of the city water lines along Washington haven't been replaced since they were installed in the 1920s, Garrett said. The water lines will be replaced along Washington from the Grand intersection to First Street, although the street past the fire station won't be completely overhauled.
— New curbing. All four corner curbs will be extended at least three feet, with the curb of the Vogt's parking lot extended even further.
The city is currently accepting bids on the project and should decide on a construction company by the first week of April, Garrett said. The project will cost approximately $100,000.
After 2002's street projects are finished, Main Street comes next.
Main will be redone in three segments over a three-year span. The first year, 2003, will be the biggest undertaking by far, with construction stretching from A Street on the south to the new post office on the north.
And while that construction is underway, crews will also work on a segment of Grand reaching from City Hall on the east to First Mennonite Church on the west — not quite reaching Ash Street.
So what will be done during the construction on Main?
— Lowering and resurfacing streets. Currently, many of the sidewalks on Main are actually lower than the center of the street, Garrett said. That's another drainage problem for the city, as water runs off from the street to the sidewalks.
— Repairing curbs. Many of the curbs either don't align with each other or are missing.
— Placing electrical wires underground. Along Main, most of the electrical wiring that runs north-south from light pole to light pole will be buried underground. Only those lines leading from a light pole to a building will be left exposed.
The street poles should look more attractive with the absence of so many wires, Garrett said.
— New water lines. The city will replace the water lines running down the middle of Main.
In 2004, the city hopes to complete the segment of Main running from the post office to Third Street, and in 2005 it should finish its Main repairs with the A to D Street segment.
In all, the Main Street construction will cost the city $1 million — which comes out of Hillsboro's capital improvement fund.
