BEATRICE – With dry weather and temperatures in the 80's this week, road construction crews should have little in the way of obstacles as they work to complete a South Fifth Street project, in Beatrice.


Crews installed new asphalt on the northern section of the project last week, and the lack of rain in the forecast should make for ideal conditions this week. City Street Superintendent Jason Moore says there’s at least two weeks of work remaining, with storm sewer installation before the final paving.


"They have to connect the storm inlets and the boxes underneath them to the storm sewer that runs directly underneath Fifth Street. That's the major work that's been going on down there, the last couple of weeks, at least."


New curbs and intersection ramps are part of the project. New sections of sidewalks are also being installed on both sides of the street, along with upgraded storm sewer drains. The project extends from Market Street South, then the street transitions to Perkins Street as it curves to the east, connecting with U.S. Highway 77.
Utility construction preceded much of the paving and sidewalk work. One of the new sidewalks along the west side of the street will connect with a part of the Chief Standing Bear Trail, that runs near the former Dempster Manufacturing Plant.


Moore says recently, the city used federal funding from storm damage, to resurface a part of Bluff Street in west Beatrice.
"That was from the flood damage that we had a couple of years ago, the FEMA money that came through, to pay for that."


There are still a couple of street surfacing projects left on the fall schedule.


"When they get done on South Fifth, that Pavers (Inc.) crew will run over to Eighth Street from Market to Ella...that two-block stretch on both sides of Court Street will get new ADA ramps and a new mill and overlay. There's a stretch on Ella Street from Hayes to 16th that will get a new overlay and ADA ramps."