Arena, check. Hopper, check. Find out what's next on list of Cape stormwater projects

Cape Girardeau has addressed two major stormwater problems, and plans are in the works to tackle another drainage issue.

A major stormwater project at Arena Park has been completed while another, along Hopper Road, is nearly finished and the street reopened to traffic Thursday in time for the start of school, Cape Girardeau public works director Stan Polivick said.

"It is exciting on our end," he said of addressing stormwater problems that city officials had promised to the public.

Construction artifacts are seen Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, at Hopper Road and Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau.Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian

Meanwhile, a project to address frequent flooding on Good Hope Street in the area of Christine Street and Plaza Way is in the design stage, he said.

Construction on that project, estimated to cost $3.5 million, could commence next year, said Polivick.

The projects are among several that are being funded with money from a parks/stormwater tax, which voters extended in 2018.

"We have gotten off to a good start," Polivick said of the stormwater projects.

The approximately $1.3 million Arena Creek project involved installation of 8-by-3-foot box culverts and storm pipes.

Construction began late last year and was originally scheduled to be completed in March. But wet weather delayed the project as did "bad dirt," Polivick said.

The soil in a section of the stream bed, running along the east side of Arena Park, was "like soup" leading to the "side walls" of the creek to cave in during excavation, he said.

"We had to bring in sheet piling" to shore up the sides of the creek, Polivick said.

The contractor, Fronabarger Concreters Inc., of Oak Ridge, completed the stormwater project last month without any fanfare on the part of city officials.

City officials were focused on efforts to extend a capital improvements sales tax, which voters passed in early August.

But Polivick said the stormwater improvements have lessened the impact of flash flooding in Arena Park. While it won't eliminate all flooding in the park, the culverts and storm pipes have allowed the water to drain faster into Cape LaCroix Creek, he said.

"It did work very well," he said in reference to heavy rains in July.

The park did have some flooding," he said, but the stormwater drained much faster off the park grounds than previously.

A nearly $350,000 project to address storm drainage under Hopper Road at Kingshighway began earlier this summer after nearby Clippard Elementary School closed for the summer.

Hopper Road was closed at the location for much of the summer.

Polivick said the goal was to reopen the street before Thursday's start of the new school year, Polivick said.

The contractor, Nip Kelley Equipment Co., barely met that deadline, opening Hopper Road to traffic early Thursday before the start of classes.

A new culvert has been installed under Hopper Road and new pavement poured. The project is 95% complete, Polivick said.

Some work still needs to be completed just south of Hopper Road at Kingshighway where the storm drainage structure connects with an open ditch, according to Polivick.

That work should be completed within the next few weeks, he said.

The Hopper Road project should lessen drainage problems that have plagued residents along nearby Stewart Drive for years, Polivick said.

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