The Daily News

The North Central Area Streets Rehabilitation Project, which began mid-June, is "98 percent complete," said Wahpeton Public Works Director Randy Nelson.

"It's just about done," said Nelson. "They're going to work on it this week and Monday we expect to finish the remaining paving. We actually have about five blocks that need the center portion paved yet."

The area being rehabilitated covers Second Avenue to Eighth Avenue from Fourth Street to 11th Street, though it does not include Seventh Street, Fourth Street or 11th Street.

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"Those streets had maintenance work performed on them last year with the Urban Roads Maintenance money using economic stimulus funds," Nelson said. "The project this year... is all local money. Different funding sources, very similar work, though."

The rehabilitation work being done this year was "maybe a little more intensive," said Nelson, with more minor maintenance work being done in segments. Last year's work also included concrete streets. Second Avenue North, Fourth Avenue South and Sixth Street South mainly received joint sealing, panel replacement and some repairs.

"Those segments, the concrete streets didn't change appearance much," said Nelson. "It's not as noticeable but it was definitely good for extending the useful life of the street. We got a good bang for our buck on those."

The same can be said of the north side streets and avenues following the last nearly three month's work, said Nelson.

"The ones on the north side this year, there's definitely been substantial improvement in the ride on the street," he said.

While the base was in decent shape, there were areas that had to be excavated and basically reconstructed from the base, then paved, he explained.

The work done for the North Central Area Streets project was curb to curb, with a variety of locations receiving hard curb and gutter replacements or mud jacking to restore drainage.

"Hopefully it winds up dry again and things go back to normal there," he said.

Overall, Nelson is pleased with the project's outcome and hopes the residents can see the difference, he said.

"It's been a long needed repair, or rehab project," he said. "There are a number of areas in town that need that and this one's time was probably overdue. Ninth Street, for example, was in poor condition."

Next, the city will be reconstructing segments on Third Avenue North. The entire segment from the Red River to 11th Street will be rebuilt over the next three years, and will include underground work that needs to be done. The frame is not because of the magnitude of the work but because of funding issues.

"Today, Third Avenue North doesn't look as good as the other streets, it just didn't get any work. We weren't able to accomplish that this year," said Nelson.

The last segment of Third Avenue North, from Ninth Street to 11th Street, is scheduled to be completed in 2013. Designs for the first segments of the project will begin this fall, followed by an intent to bid.

The segments will be from the river to First Street, as well as from Fifth Street to Ninth Street.

"We have storm sewer to put in there currently, the last of our storm sewer improvements in the downtown area," said Nelson.

The reconstruction of Dakota Avenue has made a substantial improvement in the drainage north of the railroad tracks on the east side of town, said Nelson. And with the Third Avenue Project in the next two years, he hopes to finish the city's drainage improvements in that area.

"The streets are subject to flooding in relatively modest rainstorms. We hope to see that cured in two years more," he said.

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