Batavia's Main Street project on target for Nov. 15
The coronavirus pandemic is shutting down businesses and large gatherings, but it's full stream ahead for a $6.9 million project to reconstruct a .59-mile stretch of Main Street, west of downtown Batavia, and add new water and sewer lines.
Crews begin work Monday. The project has a Nov. 15 target completion date, said Darren Frawley, resident engineer for BLA, an Itasca-based engineering firm.
While the state and country grapple with changes to everyday life due to COVID-19, Frawley said the virus was not brought up Wednesday during a preconstruction meeting.
"We're proceeding 100%," Frawley said. "The governor and president want construction projects to continue, and that's what we're doing. We're following orders."
For years, city leaders have planned a reconstruction of Main Street from Water Street, across the Route 31 intersection and continuing to Van Nortwick Avenue.
In addition to replacing and expanding a 4-inch water main that is about 90 years old, the project includes new curbs, gutters and sidewalks, and will separate the storm and sanitary sewers. Currently, rain runoff and residential sewage are collected by the same pipe, and the improvement will increase capacity and reduce backups.
During the project, traffic will be reduced to one way going east on Main Street; drivers headed west will be directed to Wilson Street.
Frawley said construction crews will begin work near Route 31 and Water Street. They also will set up the detour, but that will take about two weeks. During that time, there will be intermittent lane closures and flaggers on Main Street, Frawley said.
Residents on the south side of Main Street should roll their garbage cans to the construction barricades on trash day for pickup, Frawley said.