BY ANDY TAYLOR
chronicle@taylornews.org
CHERRYVALE — More than $120,000 in state funds will be used in Cherryvale to assist the town with an upgrade of Main Street later this year.
The City of Cherryvale was notified last week that it was a recipient of a $120,408 Community Development Block Grant which will be used to upgrade Main Street, from Liberty Street to Montgomery Street. The City of Cherryvale will match the grant dollar for dollar, bringing the total project to more than $240,800.
City administrator Greg McDanel said the state grant and the local money will be used to grind a layer of pavement on Main Street and replace it with a fresh layer of asphalt. He said he expected the project to take place sometime in the mid- to late-summer months.
The grant funds will not be used for street markings, such as parking lanes and center lines. So, McDanel said he anticipated using the money that the Cherryvale City Council had built into its 2009 and 2010 budget for those pavement markings. He said he anticipated using the $35,000 ($10,000 from the 2009 budget and $25,000 from the 2010 budget) for pavement markings. Should the pavement markings be less than the $35,000, then the unused funds will be used to start a street beautification project, such as sidewalk repairs.
The repairs to Main Street are warranted not just because it is the primary thoroughfare for the community but also because of impending repairs to a water line along Main Street in the coming month. Jake Houck Construction, which is the contractor in charge of a city water line replacement project, will soon be digging along Main Street as it replaces part of a collapsed water line and replace several hundred feet of water line.
“That water line project was the impetus for seeking a state grant for street repairs,” said McDanel. “Once the water line project is completed, it’ll be necessary to upgrade Main Street by giving it a fresh, new layer of black asphalt.”
On a related note regarding the water line project, McDanel said he anticipated Jake Houck Construction to start work on the Main Street water line replacement sometime in the next two weeks. A similar effort will be underway along Third Street. The project will involve removal of portions of street pavement, thereby causing motorists to take a detour or be alert to nearby construction vehicles and workers, McDanel said.
The total water line project in Cherryvale is more than 60 percent completed. Only the Main Street and Third Street water line replacements remain on the project list.
