Construction begins on new Fir St. sewer line on Feb. 14

SHELLEY — Installing a new sewer line underneath Fir St. will likely take two months to complete.

HK Contractors is ready to begin laying a new sewer pipe underneath Fir St. The project is scheduled to begin on Feb. 14, weather permitting. The line will run for half a mile from the intersection S Emmerson Ave. and Fir St. to S Lincoln and Fir St.

“This is going to be for a new sewer line that will accommodate growth east of town,” Shelley Public Works Director Justin Johnson said.

Johnson explained that the current 10-inch sewer pipe is overcapacity.

“When we did our testing, it was at 113 percent capacity. So that tells us that we’re at full capacity plus,” he said.

The new sewer line will accommodate sewer coming from any new development on the east side of Shelley. Johnson said that includes the Parks subdivision that is being built on the east side of the canal along Lincoln Ave and the Fox Crossing development.

“We’re putting this line in for any future growth on the east side of town,” Johnson said.

HK Contractors is scheduled to complete the project by April 14. It is costing the city just under $1 million.

Johnson said HK Contractors will work to minimize the impact the construction will have on traffic in the area.

“When they start the project they will work from manhole to manhole; completely shut down the road a few hundred feet at a time. All of the north and south roads like Emmerson, Park and Milton, they will keep open 100 percent,” he said.

He said the construction won’t prevent residents who live in the area from accessing their driveways.

The construction will run directly in front of Sunrise Elementary School. Shelley School District Transportation Director Monty Fowler said because of that, it will have an effect on bussing and student drop off.

“When it gets to the intersection, it’s going to shut the whole intersection off. So parents coming to pick up their kids will have to come down a different road. The busses will also have to go a different route,” Fowler said.

He explained that as the construction advances from west to east the school district will work with the transportation department on updating new bus routes and student drop-off and pickup.

“As long as everybody has patience — the residents, parents picking up their kids and the bus drivers — if they’ll just use a little bit of patience I don’t think will have any issues,” Fowler said.