Residential street project due to begin next month

Somerton's road improvement program for 2013 is due to kick off in late February when work begins on Spring Street and Union Avenue.

A residential street, Spring will be rebuilt from Somerton to Union avenues, followed by reconstruction of Union between Spring and Main streets.

“These are streets on which major work has not been done in many years,” said Samuel Palacios, the city's public works director. “The pavement is in bad condition and the streets don't have sidewalks, curbs or gutter.”

The city is using federal Community Block Development Grant funds to pay for the reconstruction, expected to cost $355,443.

The two-month project on Spring and Union will involve tearing up the existing pavement and repaving the streets, plus installing sidewalks, curbs and ramps for easier access by handicapped people.

Also included in the project is a stormwater drainage system to avoid flooding in the surrounding neighborhoods during times of heavy rains.

DPE Construction of Yuma is the contractor for the project.