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First Street project underwayBy Luther Dorr Five years ago, as huge machines moved up and down what was then LaGrande Avenue as it was being reconstructed, there were more than a few short tempers as businesses, their customers and homeowners were inconvenienced. This time around, as First Street is rebuilt from Seventh Avenue to a point 2.4 miles farther where it intersects with Highway 95, an effort is being made to keep people better informed. To that end, a meeting was held at City Hall Monday night to which everyone who lives along the construction area was invited. And last Friday, three days before the water was turned off in a three-block area Monday morning, Public Utilities water operator Larry Handshoe went door to door to tell residents what would be happening. If they weren't home, he left a note that explained that the water valve for each residence had to be turned off Monday morning so the houses could start using temporary water. Water samples were sent to a laboratory in Elk River to be tested before the temporary water was turned on. "We get it in writing that it is safe to drink," said Handshoe. Water will again be tested before it is turned on when construction is finished, he said. The blue plastic pipe seen on several streets, including Eighth Avenue North where it was hooked to a hydrant along Second Street North, will bring water to the homes in that area. Other blue piping is hooked to a hydrant near Princeton Public Utilities which is also on temporary water. "We will tell people beforehand," Handshoe said Monday, saying it was hard to predict, because of the weather, when the next group of houses will be hooked up to temporary water. If at all possible, Handshoe will use the Union-Eagle to help inform people when they must turn their water off and be hooked to temporary water. A difference from 1997, said Handshoe, also a member of the City Council, is that black piping, not as noticeable, was used and there were more hydrants along LaGrande and not as many places had to be shut off at once. If the weather is good enough, it's estimated it will be only a couple of weeks before the stretch from Seventh Avenue to Tenth Avenue is finished. One of the considerations is getting past the Elim Home and school district office, both located at the corner of Seventh Avenue and First Street, as quickly as possible because of the high traffic volume there. All of the curbing in the present construction zone, from Seventh Avenue to 11th Avenue, was pulled up Monday, Handshoe said. Besides laying down a new asphalt surface, the contractor will be installing a new water main, sanitary sewer and storm sewer. Monday's meeting Bob Moberg, an engineer from SEH, the city's engineering firm, moderated Monday's meeting at City Hall which 30 to 35 attended. He also introduced assistant Mille Lacs County engineer Jay Munson, project manager John Lee and Gary Zajak, representative of the general contractor, S.M. Hentges & Sons, Inc., Jordan. (The Union-Eagle tried to interview Lee Monday but he said he was too busy at the time, and that he would give out information at a 1 p.m. meeting Friday that was previously scheduled for giving information to the media.) Moberg emphasized that every homeowner and business would be communicated with before work is done. And he said the project will maintain close contact with Public Utilities and the Princeton Fire Department. "A bag on a hydrant means that it is out of service and we will let the fire department know," Moberg said. The project will skip to the area from 14th Avenue to the Highway 169 overpass after the initial phase from Seventh to 11th, Moberg said, and then come back to fill in the three blocks in between. Phone numbers for residents to use Council member Darla Rosevold, who attended the Monday meeting, said Moberg noted two phone numbers to call if residents have any questions. Both numbers are for the contractor's headquarters. They are (763) 389-5514 and 1-800-750-0028. Some of the issues brought up Monday night were parking, mailboxes and garbage, Rosevold said. The answer on mailboxes is that work is being done with the post office on having a cluster of boxes. And, with the issue made tougher because there is more than one hauler, people may have to haul their garbage cans farther to a collection site. "It sounds like they'll work with people," Rosevold said. "I think when you affect so many people, you have to be compassionate to a point. It was a quiet crowd and a good meeting." Princeton Union-Eagle |