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Sidewalk repair, replacement project soon to get started

Marquette City Commission OKs new business item

A section of sidewalk, is seen along Hewitt Avenue near Graveraet Elementary School which will soon be replaced. The Marquette City Commission approved a sidewalk replacement/removal plan during its May 26 virtual meeting that consists of 23 sections of sidewalk. (Journal photo by Jackie Jahfetson)

MARQUETTE — With the Engineering and Public Works Department’s recommendation, 23 portions of sidewalk will be repaired and/or replaced throughout Marquette this summer as they have been determined to be potential tripping hazards to the public.

The Marquette City Commission unanimously approved the new business item during its May 26 virtual meeting. Commissioner Evan Bonsall made the motion to approve the construction contract for the sidewalk project with Associated Constructors, LLC, in the amount of $60,691 at the unit prices bid. Commissioner Paul Schloegel seconded the motion. The motion was then voted and approved 7-0 by the commission.

Sidewalk defects that pose the greatest risk for tripping hazards are considered top priority for replacement, according to a city agenda document.

The decision process to choose which sidewalks to replace centered around engineering field inspections of the sidewalk, in which sidewalks are examined annually for hazards to the walking public, and the height of the lip or depth of an area missing from the sidewalk square, city engineer Keith Whittington said in an email.

“They all require replacement due to the height of the lip for each square. The lip height would be anywhere from 0.5 to 2 inches in height as compared to the adjacent sidewalk square,” Whittington said. “… The sidewalk project provides a safe pedestrian thoroughfare by always replacing those areas of our sidewalk that may pose a tripping hazard.”

Though the current fiscal year 2019-20 budget proposed $100,000 for this project, the new business item falls $39,309 below the budgeted amount, which allows the city to apply those savings toward COVID-19 related losses.

“It’s great news that it came in dramatically under budget and I think that it’s good news for everybody in the city, especially in these times where there’s a certain amount of uncertainty about the near-term fiscal impact of COVID-19 crisis and the city budget that we’re coming in under budget. We’re able to reallocate that, almost $40,000 to mitigate potential fiscal impact,” Bonsall said.

Sidewalk repair is required by Marquette’s city ordinance and construction is anticipated to kick off in a couple of weeks and finalized by Aug. 29.

“It’s nice to see things kind of leveling off for us on the construction side and I hope to continue to see that happen throughout the rest of our projects, but thank our stars when we get one like this, so that’s good,” Schloegel said.

The following portions of sidewalk to be repaired and replaced in Marquette are as follows:

≤ East Arch Street

≤ West Baraga Avenue

≤ Blaker Street

≤ West Bluff Street

≤ Chamberlain Street

≤ East College Avenue

≤ West College Avenue

≤ East Crescent Street

≤ Division Street

≤ Dobson Place

≤ Fair Street

≤ Fifth Street

≤ Fisher Street

≤ Fourth Street

≤ Front Street

≤ Hewitt Avenue

≤ High Street

≤ Kaye Avenue

≤ Lakeshore Boulevard

≤ Magnetic Street

≤ Ridge Street

Jackie Jahfetson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. Her email address is jjahfetson@miningjournal.net.

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