Beatrice City Council Approves Street Construction Plan For 2020

BEATRICE – The City of Beatrice will try to catch up on road projects delayed because of contractor demand last year for flood repairs across Nebraska, by proposing $1.1. to $1.2 million of street construction this year.

The Beatrice City Council Monday night approved the one-year plan of the city. Engineer James Burroughs says it includes some projects held over from last year.
"Market Street from Second to Sixth....Seventh Street from Market to Court...and Fourth Street from Market to Ella are out 2019 carryover projects".

The city usually budgets $600,000 to $700,000 for street projects. State law has changed. Municipalities no longer have to submit so-called one-and-six-year plans. Street Superintendent Jason Moore says what’s required now is an accounting for what’s spent in the current year, completed by a certified superintendent.

"As a municipality, we have to come up with a way we are documenting what streets are being worked on, the money that's being spent and how, and when".

A major project this year will focus on South 5th and Perkins Street, as it connects to U.S. Highway 77. Burroughs says that is a multi-part project on a road that takes a beating from truck traffic at harvest. The project includes replacing old limestone curbs and installing A-D-A--compliant intersections.

"One of the reasons that this project is necessary, as well, is that there is going to be a water main improvement project in the area, as well. We have new paving that we need to do, we're adding some storm sewer inlets because as most of you are aware, there are some flooding issues in the area. We are not completely, one-hundred percent going to solve those flooding issues for high flows. But, I do believe by adding the inlets, we'll be able to alleviate some of the issues with the smaller rainfall events and some of the flooding we've seen in there in the past".

City officials will replace a four-inch water main that is underneath the street in that area. One hope is that the upgrade along the street may help lead to some development, there.

The size of the project will mean a delay by one year, of another project…the resurfacing of West Scott Street from Sumner, to near Sherman Street.
The city will undertake armor coating of several streets, and Moore says the city will also install an asphalt rejuvenator solution on a few streets that are in better shape….those that field heavier traffic and were milled and resurfaced in 2017.

"It's a cheaper form of a surface maintenance. It's just gonna, like the name says, rejuvenate the top inch. It's gonna give us a couple more years".

Armor coat maintenance, using an oil and aggregate, is planned on parts of 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Streets. Moore says the city is going to use a state-bid price for the aggregate, with the material hauled by city trucks from a pit near Alexandria.