City seeks engineering proposals for water line work

By BRENDA ALLUMSnews1@kilgorenewsherald.com

The city of Kilgore is accepting engineering proposals for the 2005 – 2006 Water Improvement Project.

The project is a continuation of the South Kilgore Waterline replacement Project. Phase 1 of that project was recently completed.

The city received a $250,000 grant from the Office of Rural Community Affairs and will match that with $391,125 in local dollars for this phase.

Proposals are due by 10 a.m. Aug. 8 at city hall.. They will then be reviewed by the city’s staff and ranked. The Kilgore City Commission will decided on which firm will get the bid and offer it a formal contract at a commission meeting.

The proposed project includes the construction of about 6,500 linear feet of eight-inch PVC water lines. Also included is the installation of 18 new fire hydrants, wet bore/directional bore drives and 114 service reconnections.

The project also includes removal and replacement 175 linear feet of existing concrete curb and gutter and 3,500 linear feet of existing concrete sidewalk. Included in the project is open-cutting 500 linear feet of concrete pavement, open-cut repair of 265 linear feet of asphalt pavement, traffic control, grass sod, testing and sterilization.

As with the previous grant, the construction activities, general administration and project engineering will be financed through the ORCA and city funds.

“The proposed improvements in this project will hopefully take care of the deficiencies in the water system,” Mayor Joe T. Parker said. “We’re hoping to eliminate the red water problem by replacing old pipes.”

Parker said the city hopes funding will continue until the city has completely replaced all the 30- to 40-year-old water lines in the city.

Streets included in this phase of the water system improvement project include Nolen from Florence to Martin; Elder from Florence to Martin; Ross from Florence to Martin; Riverside from Florence to Crim; and Florey from Commerce to Broadway.