Mullan Laying Pipelines Storm Sewer Will Help Avoid Repeat Of Floods
Second Street surged with water last May. Now, it’s rumbling with heavy equipment.
A construction project under way here is aimed at preventing a repeat of damage that occurred during the 1996 and 1997 floods. Mill Creek roared through this steep neighborhood toward the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River.
“We should not have that problem again - having water come into the street, people’s yards, destroying property,” said City Councilman Chuck Reitz.
A 36-inch overflow pipe will be laid under the street to carry water that the streambed can’t handle. That’s critically important for these neighbors. The creek not only runs behind and through many of their yards; it flows beneath some of their houses.
The overflow pipe is being paid for with $384,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Reitz said.
Another $498,000 grant from the federal department of Housing and Urban Development is being used to replace 60-year-old water mains. That must be done before the overflow pipe is laid.
This week, workers began replacing the 4-inch steel water lines with 8-inch PVC pipe. The same work will be done next year on Earl Street.
A third, $100,000 FEMA grant will be used to restore part of the stream bed, Reitz said.
The need for various permits delayed the project until fall, said George Dancer, manager of the East Shoshone Water District.
Willms Construction Corp. of Spokane began tearing up asphalt on Oct. 6. On Monday, a chill in the air and snow on the mountaintops reminded supervisor Mark Willms that weather could become a big issue.
Matt Newcomb of Welch-Comer Engineering, the project designer, reminded Willms of the 90-day construction window.
“We’re going to stop on Dec. 20,” Newcomb said. By then, gravel will cover Second Street. It will be paved in the spring.
Meanwhile, construction is messy. But Eileen Valenti isn’t complaining.
“We can stand a little inconvenience if we can get our street fixed,” she said.
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