No large projects seen this year
By Seth Schmidt
No major street improvement projects are planned in Tracy during 2018, according to Public Works Director and Interim City Administrator Shane Daniels.
Unlike 2017, when Phase One infrastructure installations tore up streets in a 12-block area of northeast Tracy, Daniels sees mostly maintenance work during 2018. He’d like to see some street crack-filling and seal-coating in the coming year, although decisions have not been made regarding the scope and location of the maintenance work. Daniels said he would most likely give the council a street maintenance proposal this spring, when more is known about funding
Tracy’s largest public works project of 2018—the construction of new wastewater settlement ponds—continues northeast of the municipal airport
Reiner Contracting was awarded a $5.4 million construction contract for the “Phase Two” wastewater pond project in October, and work is well underway. Three, 21.5 acre ponds will be constructed. The new lagoons are designed to provide 170% the capacity of the city’s existing ponds, which total 39 acres.
Including all “soft” costs, the wastewater pond project has a price tag of about $7.5 million.
Tracy’s existing sewage ponds, which date from the 1960s, are inadequate to handle peak wastewater flows. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has required that Tracy bring its wastewater treatment system into state compliance.
Last year’s Phase One project improved capacity, reduced infiltrations of clear storm water into the sanitary sewer, and relocated some underground mains from private property to public right-of-way. New sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and water mains were installed. Segments of Fourth St. East, Circle Drive, Long Green Lane, Hollett St. East, Second St. East, Emory St. East, Emory, and Park Streets were affected. New streets, including new curb & gutter and driveway approaches, were built following the underground installations.
For more on this article, see this week’s Headlight-Herald.