Work on the $1.2 million Chestnut Street Improvement Project is moving along at a good pace, City Manager Mike Talbot said last Tuesday.
“All the water lines, sewer and storm water drainage are complete,” Talbot said of the project that runs from Water Street to the railroad tracks just east of Haysel Street. The project got under way in October 2009 and is expected to be finished this June.
The first phase of installing conduits for electrical, telephone and cable wires is also complete, Talbot said. As part of the overall beautification project of the street, utilities were moved underground and accompanying poles were taken down.
Enough work has also been done on curb/gutters and some sidewalks to allow residential driveways to be reconnected.
Soon to be installed are decorative aspects of sidewalks included implanted medallions that will tell some of the history of the El Camino Real trail.
Construction crews did have an unexpected discovery, Talbot said.
“They found a water line that runs under the new convention center,” Talbot said. “The line was not on our map.”
Talbot said it is not uncommon in older cities for unknown water lines to be discovered. He added that engineers are not sure if the water line is active.
“We will insert a valve that allows us to turn off the water (if it is active), he said. “If somebody is using that line we will probably hear about it.”