Warm winter allows for progress in water, sewer line installations

WARREN -- Workers took advantage of Wednesday's relatively mild January weather to make major progress in a downtown water and sewer line installation project.
Crews from Utility Contracting Inc. of Youngstown hooked up a newly installed 8-inch ductile iron water main under Pine Avenue, Southeast, to a main under East Market Street. Pine Avenue was closed between Market and Franklin streets, but the connection was being made without interruption in water service. The new main replaces a 6-inch cast-iron main, said Jeff Chepke, company superintendent.
Workers from R.W. Sidley Inc. were also busy in the closed section of Pine Avenue as they poured the concrete street base from cement mixer trucks over compacted earth atop the newly installed water main and a newly installed storm sewer. Asphalt will be applied over the concrete base in the spring, Chepke said.
The water supply and storm sewer installations are being done simultaneously by Utility Contracting because the old waterline, which was being abandoned, conflicted with the new storm sewer and had to be removed, Chepke explained.
The sewer work is part of a $3.9 million storm and sanitary sewer separation project in the city's downtown, north and east sides. Chepke said the sewer work, which began last September, is a month ahead of schedule because of favorable weather and cooperation from city officials.
The waterline, which still must be extended under Pine Avenue from Market Street to High Street, should be completed this spring, and the sewer job should be completed in August or September, Chepke said.