“I’m happy to just do anything on this list, to be honest with you. Everything on this list needs work.”
– Jeff Dolezal
DPW Superintendent
Village of Waterford
By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
When it comes to prioritizing a list of 21 municipal streets and intersections in need of improvements, Jeff Dolezal, Village of Waterford’s public works director, views them all as important. Dolezal and Public Works and Utilities Committee members March 16 hashed over a list of streets in need of repaving, in addition to utility upgrades for sanitary sewer and water departments.
Dolezal and other village officials have been working with a consultant, engineering firm Baxter & Woodman, to assemble a list of road improvement projects in upcoming years.
As is the case with any capital project, the confines of the municipal budget play a key role in the decision-making process.
Based on its 21-item compilation, Baxter & Woodman is projecting the improvements will cost $5.74 million. Paving and drainage costs are expected to come in at $4.87 million, followed by $292,500 in sanitary sewer upgrades and $582,000 in water utility upgrades.
“I’m happy to just do anything on this list, to be honest with you,” Dolezal said. “Everything on this list needs work.”
After hashing over some of the specifics, committee members Monday afternoon voted to make their own prioritization recommendation to the full Village Board.
Street segments that are expected to receive more immediate attention include:
• Racine Street, from Main Street to River Street;
• Center Street, from Main Street to Racine Street;
• River Street, from Racine Street to North Street;
• North Street, from Jefferson Street to River Street;
• Village Hall parking lot.
Other sections of the village a bit further down, but still high, on the prioritization list include:
• Second Street, from Main Street to Division Street;
• Division Street, from Second Street to Milwaukee Street;
• Milwaukee Street, from Fifth Street to the village limits
Further down on the list, village officials will turn their attention toward a number of residential streets, including Fox Horn Drive, Fox River Hills Drive, Red Coat Court and Whipple Tree Lane.
Depending upon the specific area identified, the 21 items on the list could include work in a number of areas, including paving, curb and gutter installation or replacement and sidewalks.
Racine Street is expected to receive the largest contribution of funding, according to Baxter & Woodman’s analysis. Cost of paving work and upgrades to sanitary sewer and water utility infrastructure clock in with an estimated $761,000 price tag.
On the low end of the cost spectrum, North Street is not expected to need as much attention. Cost of improving the street is expected to be around $84,000, in part because water utility upgrades are not needed at this time.
The Village Board will soon begin weeding through Monday’s committee recommendations and will then make ultimate decisions on the next steps in the process.
A specific timeline on the implementation of the projects was not discussed at the March 16 committee meeting, although more details are expected to come into focus once the Village Board makes its decisions.
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