Work on the Northeast Area Street and Utility Improvement project in Clearwater resumed Monday.

 

Workers spent the day cutting out sections of driveways as the first step in replacing surmountable curbs with knock-down curbs.

 

 

Completion of the project was delayed earlier this year when some residents complained about their vehicles scraping bottom when they pulled into their driveways.

 

To deal with the issue, the Clearwater City Council instructed Bolton & Menk, the city’s engineering firm, to send out notices to property owners in the construction area to determine how many people wanted their driveways modified.

 

Because of a low response to the notices, the council decided to move ahead with changing all the driveways - about 100 in total.

 

But at a meeting in July, Bolton & Menk Vice President Kreg Schmidt said in his opinion, the city should only replace the driveways that needed replacing because of potential cracking and drainage issues in the future. The cost to change them all would be about $150,000. Schmidt said his company was willing to contribute up to $35,000 of the replacement cost.

 

The council agreed to go with the original list of people who requested their driveways be changed, plus any additional ones where it was deemed necessary.

 

Tuesday, Clearwater City Administrator Kevin Kress said that number was about 25.

 

The concrete work also includes a long punch list of street curbing that was cracked or not up to standard. All the cutting and excavation work was started Monday, with the expectation of pouring new concrete the next few days so the final wear course of bituminous could be laid down.

 

“If they can wrap up all  the concrete work, they can put the final coat on,” said Kress. “But no word yet if and when that’s going to happen.”