4 for the future: North Natchez drainage work under way
Published 12:01 am Sunday, September 26, 2010
After years of planning, dirt is finally moving on Phase 2A of the north Natchez drainage project.
Natchez City Engineer David Gardner said the project is approximately 15 percent complete.
“Since 2002, we have been working hard to get this project to this point,” Gardner said.
The total contracted award for the project was more than $2.5 million and should be completed in March 2011, Gardner said.
Work began on North Canal Street and has proceeded to Madison Street.
Gardner said the contract, Dirt Work, Inc., is placing large concrete box culverts on Canal Street and will do the same on Madison Street.
As the project proceeds the concrete culverts will transition from large box shaped culverts to smaller round pipes because the water load will be less, Gardner said.
Work at the intersection of Canal Street and Madison Street could be slow moving because of the presence of underground utility pipes in the area.
“There are a lot of underground pipes in that area,” Gardner said. “Water, sewer, gas, you name it and it is in there. We’ve done work there before so we are aware of what we are working with and it should be handled with minimum inconvenience.”
Work, Gardner said, should speed up once the project gets to North Wall Street.
Phase 2A of the project will affect Monroe, Canal, Madison, North Wall and West Oak streets, and Oak Court.
Funding for Phase 2B is still in the works, Gardner said. The 75 percent funding from the Corps of Engineers has been secured, but the City of Natchez still needs to come up with approximately $1 million to fund the project.
The North Natchez drainage project will help prevent slow drainage and standing water on the north side of town, Gardner said.
“Once all is said and done, we’ll have a nice, functional drainage system that is better for everyone,” Gardner said.