Work continues on a number of city projects

City Manager Pro Tempore Thom Clark said Hughson just issued a notice to proceed for the long-awaited Locust Street sidewalk infill project. Clark said sidewalks, curbs and gutters will go wherever needed in an eight-block span from Seventh Street to Santa Fe Avenue, with Teichert Construction of Sacramento undertaking the endeavor.

Sidewalk, street and landscaping improvements on Hughson Avenue were budgeted at $760,000 and just over $51,000 had been spent by earlier this month. Clark said the project is supposed to be finished by Dec. 10, but everything’s ahead of schedule.

“They’re finishing up the irrigation portion of the landscaping,” noted James Pease, inspector/project manager. “They’ll be planting the trees today and some of the shrubs as well.”

The Chinese Pistache will go into circular planters between Hughson Avenue parking spaces. Clark said they’re a different variety than the ones previously planted there. The old ones had berries and the new ones don’t. Bollards have been installed at the intersection of Hughson and the new street lights arrived late last week.”

The wastewater treatment plant upgrade is projected to cost $23 million and $2.8 million has been spent so far. Clark said the Leedom Road site needs to be secured, so fencing is on order and construction trailers will be rolling in soon.  

“The state wants us testing water around the plant to make sure that we don’t contaminate the ground water,” Clark added. “They’re called ‘test wells,’ so we’ve sunk two of those.”

Emergency replacement of the crumbling concrete that connected the Dairy Farmers of America plant with the town’s main sewage line will total out at about $126,000.

With a state-mandated cease and desist order in tact and the potential for heavy fines looming, this $3 million project is needed to mitigate arsenic levels in the city’s water supply. Located off Euclid Avenue, so far $574,297 has been spent with most of the bill covered by federal and state funding.