Several major road construction projects to start soon

Construction is expected to start by early September to widen Avenue 3E between 24th and 32nd streets, Avenue A from 16th to 24th streets and 32nd Street between Avenues A and B.

However, construction on 16th Street from Arizona Avenue to Yuma Palms Parkway will be held off until next spring after the winter visitors leave for the summer, said Paul Brooberg, city engineer.

The roadway improvements are among several projects in the city's draft Capital Improvement Program for fiscal year 2008-09 that begins July 1. The CIP was the subject of a public hearing before the Yuma City Council during its regular meeting Wednesday evening. No one from the public spoke.

The council is scheduled to adopt the final CIP during its next meeting June 4.

The CIP is funded through development fees, special taxes, sewer and water fees, grants and other sources. The projects include road improvements, public safety projects and new recreation facilities.

The CIP for next year has a price tag of $162 million, said Brooberg. That's down from $285 million for the current fiscal year and $302 million for fiscal year 2006-07.

He listed three factors for the reduction: fewer grants are available because of the nationwide economic downturn, the city is taking a conservative approach to bonds and the Agua Viva Water Treatment Plant is nearly completed.

That project alone cost about $55 million this fiscal year, Brooberg said. The plant on Avenue 9E is being upgraded and expanded to provide water for the rapidly developing eastern 7 miles of the city; including the new Wal-Mart, several subdivisions and Yuma Commerce Center.

Currently, the plant generates 9 million gallons of water a day; by November when the project will be nearly finished, it will generate 24 million gallons a day, Brooberg told The Sun following the council meeting.
He also provided an update on the long-awaited major roadway projects:

16th Street widening

Some preliminary water line work on the stretch of 16th Street from Arizona Avenue to Yuma Palms Parkway may be done in the next few months, but the major construction won't start until April after the winter visitor season, he said. Hopefully it will be substantially completed by fall when winter visitors return.

The road will be widened to seven lanes, including the overpasses for the railroad and Interstate 8. Brooberg said the project will be able to build on the reconstruction of the I-8 overpass by the Arizona Department of Transportation in 2004.

"We're not doing a complete reconstruction," he said. "We'll be able to reuse a large part of the deck."

Future phases will widen 16th Street to seven lanes west to 14th Avenue.

Avenue 3E

Potentially, construction could start on Avenue 3E from 24th to 32nd Street by early September. The project also includes improvements to 24th Street near the intersection.

"We want 3E and 24th Street completed as a bypass for traffic when we close the (railroad) overpass," Brooberg said. He added that the hope is to start widening that overpass by next spring and have it completed by Thanksgiving 2009 when the produce season starts up and winter visitors return. The overpass will be widened to seven lanes to allow for future growth.

Avenue A

Widening of Avenue A to five lanes from 16th to 24th streets is about three months behind schedule, unfortunately putting it into the busy winter months, Brooberg said. It likely will not take until the spring of 2009.

"We're getting closer to starting on that," he said. "The utilities are working hard to move poles. We expect to kick off construction by early September."

32nd Street

The first phase of widening 32nd Street between Avenues A and B will start in early September and consist of constructing a water line from Friendship Tower to Avenue B and reconstructing the bridge over the East Main Canal, he said. Reconstruction of the roadway is expected to start in the spring of 2009.

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Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-06853.

CONSTRUCTION: WHERE AND WHEN

• Avenue 3E between 24th and 32nd streets in early September

• Avenue A from 16th to 24th streets in early September

• 32nd Street between Avenues A and B in early September

• 16th Street from Arizona Avenue to Yuma Palms Parkway, next spring

• Check Sunday papers for weekly road construction updates and maps