Aging streets in heart of Osakis could be replaced

In May, the Osakis City Council heard a brief presentation on a feasibility study analyzing cost to replace infrastructure within the Main Street from County Road 3 to 8th Avenue East.

Brian Hiles, an engineer with Landteam, noted in the report: “The paved streets have reached their useful life and are showing failures associated with their age. The sanitary sewer has been found to be failing and allowing large amounts of infiltration into the city system. The majority of the water system is undersized and has reached its useful life expectancy.”

There are five parts to the project:

Part One:

Where: Main Street from First Avenue East to 8th Avenue East; and 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Avenues East all lying between Lake Street and either Nokomis Street or Main Street.

Proposed improvements: Street: New curb, gutter and bituminous paving; Watermain: New water mains to three side streets to provide water service to residences; Sanitary sewer: Replace existing sanitary sewer and place new manholes; Storm sewer: Install storm sewer, catch basins and manholes.

Part Two:

Where: Downtown area - Main Street from 1st Avenue East to 1st Avenue West; and Central Avenue from Main Street to Nokomis Street.

Proposed improvements: Street: New curb, gutter, sidewalks and bituminous paving; Watermain: Replace watermain with associated hydrants, valves, fittings and services; Sanitary sewer: Replace sewer lines and install concrete manholes; Storm sewer: Install storm sewer with concrete catch basins and manholes.

Part Three:

Where: Main Street from 2nd Avenue West to 1st Avenue West; and 1st Avenue West from the Rail Bridge to Nokomis Street.

Proposed improvements: Street: Install curb, gutter, sidewalks and bituminous paving; Watermain: Replace watermain with associated hydrants, valves, fittings and services; Sanitary sewer: Replace sewer lines and install concrete manholes; Storm sewer: Install new storm sewer with concrete catch basins and manholes.

Part Four:

Where: Main Street from County Road 3 to 2nd Avenue West.

Proposed improvements: Street: Install curb, gutter, edge drains and bituminous paving; Watermain: Install watermain with associated hydrants, valves, fittings and services; Sanitary sewer: Replace sanitary sewer and install concrete manholes; Storm sewer: Install storm sewer.

Part Five:

Where: 1st Avenue East from Lake Street to Nokomis Street.

Proposed improvements: Street: Install curb, gutter, sidewalks, edge drain and bituminous paving; Watermain: Install new watermain with associated hydrants, valves, fittings and services; Sanitary sewer: Install new sanitary sewer, manholes and associated servings; Storm sewer: Install storm sewer system.

The total project is estimated to cost $4,329,297. The council did not take action on the project.

The feasibility report, ordered by council late last year, cost the city $6,000.

Amy Chaffins

After working as a journalist in the Alexandria area for the last 10 years, Amy Chaffins made the move to work as managing editor of the Osakis Review newspaper in December of 2010. She reports on school and city government, any Osakis-related news and writes feature stories as well. Amy also reports for the Review’s sister publication, the Echo Press. This is the quote you’ll find above her desk at work: “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” ~Steve Jobs 1955-2011 Amy is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, a Minnesota Newspaper Association award winner and admires the writing style of the late Charles Kuralt. Amy and her husband, Brandon, live in Alexandria and have two dogs and a cat to keep track of. Follow Osakis Review Managing Editor Amy Chaffins on Twitter at @AmyReview.

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