Wilson County News - Top Stories - Street project in eighth month

WCN/WILLIAM J. GIBBS JR.� Reprints at wilsoncountynews.com Residents and others who drive on South Second Street between C and E streets in Floresville have become accustomed to the sawhorses that dot the uneven road surface while construction work continues into its eighth month.

Wilson County News
November 17, 2009
2 comments

FLORESVILLE -- It has been eight months since pavement covered South Second Street here.

Workers from the city of Floresville removed the street�s asphalt to reveal nothing more than clay and raised manhole covers when the project began in March. Since then, Public Works Director Vicente Griego said the city�s six-man street department has encountered numerous complications that have led to further delays.

�It should have been done in three months, tops,� he said.

South Second Street is the second of at least five streets the city plans to reconstruct as part of its $780,000 streets-improvement project. The city allocated $165,000 to install new base material, asphalt, and curbs for the entire length of South Second Street. New water and sewer lines are also being installed along the entire length of the 3,375-foot-long street, which extends from Trail Street to F Street.

City water and sewer workers are replacing these lines, some of which were decades old. This part of the project is what Griego and City Manager Gary Pelech are blaming for the delays.

�We had a lot of problems with water leaks,� Pelech said. �We didn�t have enough guys to install lines and fix leaks. We were having three to four leaks per day [throughout the city] because of the drought.�

Pelech said water department workers are currently replacing connections between a water main and water meters outside the houses between E and F streets.

Sections of South Second Street are in various stages of completion. The area between Trail and C streets, which runs in front of The Beer Warehouse, has completed concrete curbs and is covered with base material. Between C and F streets, there are no curbs and the street is red clay.

Pelech said paving has been delayed because supply shortages hampered the city�s efforts to obtain asphalt. He does not know when the project will be complete.

�I wish I could tell you,� he said. �I�m not going to venture a guess because when I do, something always happens.�

While a completion date for South Second Street is yet unknown, the city is already planning to begin another project. According to Griego, workers plan to begin seal-coating streets in the Wildflower subdivision this week. Streets targeted include Mimosa, Bluebonnet, and Wildrose.

Your Opinions and Comments

Melody Lubianski
Floresville
November 19, 2009 10:25am

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It has been a long time, however should be well worth it when it is complete. I'm just happy that they took this project on, because South 2nd Street was a terrible mess ... Read More

Jennifer Shreveport November 18, 2009 2:42pm	Report Abuse Oh my goodness! That is insane. So, will they lower my taxes for this? Good thing I've been gone. Ugh! That is very disappointing.

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