May 2021 Pierre Mayor's Report
We’re about to paint the city orange again.
Despite the brisk temperatures, construction season is upon us. Expect to see more construction cones popping up throughout the community.
Aside from the major projects already in play near the waterfront, we have other significant utility projects ramping up.
The City just awarded the bid for the redesign of the city’s wastewater treatment plant. That $13.6 million project is expected to begin this spring and take about 18 months.
The work will impact how wastewater is treated from the time it is received at the wastewater treatment plant in southeast Pierre until it is fully treated and discharged into the Missouri River. That means a new pumping system to convey the wastewater through the plant, a new screening and grit removal system, new energy efficient blowers to supply oxygen to the microorganisms that reduce contaminants in the wastewater, and a new discharge structure that provides flood protection.
It all gets awfully technical. But the wastewater treatment plant receives about 1.5 million gallons of wastewater each day. So it’s important to keep the plant in good shape and so it can appropriately handle the daily load!
An interesting side note… with the remodel, the footprint of the plant will decrease. Modern processes mean we can decommission, demolish or otherwise repurpose a number of structures at the site.
Also currently out for bid are the Airport Road project and the Highland Avenue project.
Airport Road from Lowell Avenue east past the airport terminal to the FedEx approach will be completely rebuilt this year. That stretch of road will get new storm water drainage, a new asphalt surface, and a sidewalk will be installed on the south side of the road. To accommodate traffic throughout the construction project, a detour road is in the process of being built to connect South Airport Road and Piper Street.
The Highland Avenue project will run from Wynoka Avenue all the way up to Second Street and then west one block to Euclid Avenue. The stretch will get new curb, gutter, underground water main and asphalt surfacing. While the street is torn up, it’s a great time for us to replace water main. The line that currently runs under Highland is 70-years old!
Highland Avenue between Wynoka and Broadway will be rebuilt after the state’s Euclid Avenue project which is currently scheduled for 2023. We’re holding this piece of the project to coordinate underground utility work related to the Euclid project.
The Airport Road and Highland Avenue projects are expected to last throughout the construction season.
In addition to all of that, the city is also making improvement to more than 50 blocks of city street this construction season by either making surface upgrades, rebuilding portions of the streets or upgrading curb and gutter.
It’s a busy season, but one that will usher in many improvements for Pierre!
