The Clearwater City Council approved the plans and specifications for the Southeast Area Street Improvement Project during a special meeting Monday.
The project, estimated at $1.26, encompasses Bittersweet Drive from Walnut Street to Porter Street, Spring Street from the cul-de-sac to Porter Street, Porter Street between Bittersweet Drive to Kothman Circle, Porter Circle from the cul-de-sac to Porter Street and Manor Drive from Porter Street to Co. Rd. 75.
Engineer Joe Pelawa from Bolton & Menk said the project will include a different type of sloped curb that will capture storm water which is not the typical vertical curb and not like the surmountable curb use in the Northeast Area Street Project.
Storm water was one of the topics at an open house meeting last week. Some residents on Porter Circle were concerned about storm water buildup on their street.
Pelawa said there is no perfect solution without a substantial cost because Porter Circle should be two feet higher than it is now. The perfect solution would be tearing up Porter Street and installing a complete storm sewer system, which would add about $200,000 to the project. The goal is to divert as much water from Porter Street away from Porter Circle.
“Across from Porter Circle there is a depression area that flows into a larger depression area for T.O. Plastics,” he said. “We’re capturing as much water as we can on Porter Street and bringing it that way.”
He said they were also widening Bittersweet Drive, Manor Drive and Porter Street to accommodate truck traffic that sometimes uses those streets.
Pelawa said the goal was to put the project out for bid and open bids March 5. The council could award the bid at the March 11 meeting.
“That will give us a couple days to go through the bids, check for responsible bid or other items or irregularities and get that back to the city by Thursday,” he said, “so you can get it in your council packet for March 11.”
He said because of the granular soils in Clearwater, the project could start earlier than projects in other areas.
“We expect the project to begin as soon as they can in the spring,” he said. “Maybe in mid-April.”
The project should be substantially completed in October, with final completion in November. Then a final assessment hearing can be held based on the actual project cost.
Arvig Lease
The council approved a five-year lease agreement with Arvig Enterprises to place up to eight antennas on the city’s water tower at a cost of $200 per month.
Albert Kangas of Arvig said the company would be replacing its existing six antennas with newer technology.
He said the new equipment should be able to provide Internet service within a five-mile radius of the tower.
Councilman Wayne Kruchten said he was told the lease amount was low compared to other tower lease agreements.
But the council approved the lease with the condition Arvig also supply service to five city-owned buildings as part of the agreement.
The lease amount will automatically increase by 2% each Jan. 1. Any additional antennas installed by Arvig will increase the lease amount by $75 per month.
