Council OKs road construction bids

Cheney residents will see increased road construction by early fall after the City Council approved bids on several federally funded projects Tuesday.

The Cheney-Spangle Road Improvement Project includes construction of a turn lane, curb, sidewalk, street lighting and bicycle pathways from state Route 904 to the Cheney city limits. The road, in the mid-southern section of Cheney, currently has one lane in each direction.

Public Works Director Todd Ableman said the project will be divided into two phases, the first of which could begin as soon as next week. Phase 1 will include most of the roadwork in order to increase pedestrian and traffic safety along the corridor. Phase two requires pending agreements from Union Pacific and BNSF and would improve pedestrian crossings over railroad tracks.

Councilmembers awarded a contract of roughly $456,000 for Phase 1 of the project and hope to use additional funds from a $700,000 Spokane Regional Transportation recovery stimulus grant for Phase 2 once agreements are met.

A separate contract was awarded for the 2009 Road and Water Project. The project includes replacement of water mains on West Fifth Street from Washington to Buena Vista streets and on Bonnie Way from Salnave Road to Gary Street, as well as resurfacing of numerous thoroughfares throughout the city.

West Fifth will have construction from Union to Dubois Street; Clover Street will be resurfaced from Washington to Buena Vista streets; Union will be worked on from Sixth to Seventh streets; C Street from Elm to Fourth; Seventh Street from Mary to Clay; and Montague Drive will get repaved from Sunrise Drive to the north end.

The projects will cost around $650,000, with a $148,000 Community Development Block Grant going toward water main replacements and the remainder coming from the city’s residential road and sidewalk fund.

In addition to the roadwork, a parking lot will be constructed next to City Hall on the corner of Second and C streets in order to offset congestion in the area. Roughly $25,000 for the parking lot will come from the real estate excise tax for capital projects.

In other news, the council approved receipt of a USDA rural development grant for $17,300 by the Cheney Fire Department. The Fire Department will match the grant with $6,500 and the Public Works Department will put in $5,000. The grant will go toward personal protective equipment and engine upgrades.