Jackson accepts bid to replace water lines; work to begin first week of June

The second phase of Jackson’s $11.5 million program to improve the city’s water system will begin in a few days, thanks to action taken Monday night by the Jackson Board of Aldermen.

The aldermen voted to accept a bid from Nip Kelley Equipment Co. Inc. in the amount of $1,043,927 to do the work, which will involve replacement of aging water lines in the city. The bid was one of six received by the city for the project and was more than a half million dollars lower than the anticipated cost.

“A majority of the work will be done along Old Cape Road,” according to city engineer Clint Brown, who explained the work is the first project in the second phase of Jackson’s water facility plan implementation project.

The project’s start date, he said, will be the first week of June, weather permitting.

“There are some old cast iron pipes in the project that we’ll be replacing, some of which are probably a good 40 to 50 years old.”

Brown said PVC, a more durable material, will be used in place of the cast iron pipes, which he said were requiring more and more maintenance as they aged.

“We’ll also be upgrading the diameter of pipes,” he explained. “A lot of the lines are 2 inches and 4 inches in diameter. We’ll be upgrading to 8-inch to allow for better flow rates to fire hydrants, residential areas and other problem areas.”

Replacement of the water lines will have some impact on traffic, especially along Old Cape Road, Brown said.

“There will be areas that will have one lane traffic, but it will only be temporary and will only affect small sections at a time,” he said. “We hope it will cause as little traffic disturbance as possible.”

He said the “biggest thing people will notice is that we’ll have to temporarily close down a section of Shawnee Boulevard between East Jackson Boulevard and Old Cape Road” while work takes place at the intersection of Shawnee and Old Cape Road. “The fastest way to replace the water line there will be to briefly close that intersection,” he said.

Approved by voters in August 2015, the water facility plan implementation project was the first water improvement bond issue to pass in Jackson since 1997. It includes several projects over a nine-year period including construction of a new well, a new water tower, improved pumping equipment and upgraded piping in various locations around the city.

“The plan is to do one project every year as part of the overall nine-year project,” Brown said. “This year’s work should be completed by Thanksgiving.”

The Board of Aldermen also approved two other water-related projects Monday night.

The aldermen accepted a bid of $411,300 from Brockmiller Construction Inc. of Farmington, Missouri, for work on the Jackson wastewater treatment plant inflow-monitoring system. The Brockmiller bid was one of two received for the project and was slightly under the expected cost. The aldermen also approved a cooperative purchasing agreement proposal with SAK Construction LLC of O’Fallon, Missouri, in the amount of $81,389 as part of the city’s 2019 sanitary sewer lining program.

Other business

• Approved an agreement in the amount of $6,650 with Koehler Engineering & Land Surveying Inc. of Cape Girardeau, relative to providing engineering services for grading and pad preparation for electric-line relocation for the diverging diamond interchange at center junction.
• Approved an agreement in the amount of $60 per hour with Strickland Engineering Inc. of Jackson, relative to providing inspection services under the Water System Facility Plan Implementation Project, Phase 2, Project 2A.
• Approved motions authorizing the sale of intoxicating liquor, malt liquor (beer) and nonintoxicating beer at the Independence Day Celebration on July 4 at Shelter No. 1 in City Park, as submitted by the Jackson Elks Lodge No. 2652; the Homecomers Celebration on July 25, 26 and 27 in uptown Jackson, as submitted by the Jackson Elks Lodge No. 2652; and the Jackson Jaycees Sand Volleyball Tournament on June 22 at Shelter No. 5 in City Park, as submitted by TJ’s Burgers, Wings, & Pizza.
• Passed a motion approving the updated regulations/fee schedule for the Jackson Swimming Pool, effective May 25.
• Passed a motion accepting the bid of Gladiator Pyro of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and authorized a contract with the company in the amount of $11,750, relative to Jackson’s Independence Day fireworks display.
• Approved an ordinance amending the “Stop Street Schedule — Schedule VI” by repealing designations on East Main Street and Oak Hill Road.
• Approved an ordinance amending the “Yield Right-of-Way Streets Schedule — Schedule VIII” by adding designations on East Main Street and Oak Hill Road.
• Approved an ordinance amending the “Flashing Signals Schedule — Schedule XV” by adding a designation on East Main Street and Oak Hill Road.
• Approved an ordinance amending the “Crosswalks Designated Schedule — Schedule XVI” by adding a designation on East Main Street and Oak Hill Road.

jwolz@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630