Five decades worth of paving materials make up the cracked foundation and surface of Mingus Avenue, but according to city officials the road will make it to 51 before being rebuilt.
Originally scheduled for the middle of this year, the groundbreaking of the Mingus Avenue project will likely not occur until well into next year.
“The project will likely begin in the spring of 2017 and every effort will be taken to keep the road open to citizens and businesses,” city of Cottonwood Development Services Manager Morgan Scott stated, adding that the original plans have been altered to most efficiently use federal money — $845,000 via a Highway Administration Surface Transportation Grant — and local funds.
“The scope of the project was narrowed in order to conduct the least amount of work with federal money and the most amount with local money in later fiscal years,” Scott stated. “The Mingus Avenue project from Willard Street to the Eighth Street Wash will be a complete reconstruct of curb, gutter, sidewalk and bike lanes.”
The estimated cost is approximately $2.2 million.
Recently, workers began the long process of utility relocation. During the past few weeks, Utilities Administrative Manager Roger Biggs has directed workers to install reclaimed water pipe near the Clemenceau Building — only a “small piece of a planned distribution system that will in the future provide reclaimed water for irrigation at parks and other public areas,” according to Biggs.
“We needed to get this portion installed prior to the start of Mingus reconstruction project,” Biggs added. “And the waterline portion of the project consists of installing a new water main and services from Willard Street to 10th Street.”
Biggs said that the majority of the project will likely be performed by an outside contractor, resulting in the Utility Department being responsible for coordination, system operations and assistance when the old lines are switched to better performing upgrades.
“This is a complex, multi-faceted project with multiple entities, goals and funding sources involved,” Biggs stated. “Coordinating all the moving parts and players takes time. Also, traffic flow on Mingus Avenue is critical when school is in session.”
In order to minimize the impact on drivers, Biggs said that it will be best to separate the waterline and the road construction aspects of the project, completing the waterline replacement in 2016 and waiting until school is out in the spring of 2017 to begin road reconstruction.
