Water line project nearing completion

Fort Scott Public Works Director Eric Bailey said the water line project is 90 percent complete. He added the only work remaining consists of final touches and clean-up.

"They're just doing some clean up and finishing up some concrete," Bailey said. "Everything went very well, very smooth ... the contractor did an outstanding job."

Lathrop Construction was responsible for the replacement of the water lines on Wall Street from Scott Street to Lincoln Street and on Lincoln Street from Wall Street to Pine Street. Bailey said the water line ranged in size from four-inches to eight-inches however it was replaced with a 12-inch line. In addition to the new line, Bailey said new fire hydrants and service lines were installed.

The work was done because of increasing costs to repair multiple breaks in the previous line.

"We knew there were several patches where the water line had failed," Bailey said. "We wanted to redo the water line for that purpose and also to supply more volume."

Bailey added, the increased volume will provide better fire protection for residents on the east side of town. He said it will also allow for more consumption of water.

As soon as the water line project is completed, they city's next project for Wall Street will begin. Heckert Construction, of Pittsburg, will be performing a two-inch milling of the asphalt on Wall Street from Scott Avenue to Steen Street then proceeding with a fresh overlay. The section of Wall Street beneath the U.S. Highway 69 overpass will not be milled or overlaid because it is constructed of concrete, not asphalt. This project is expected to begin sometime in July.