Friday, July 4, 2008

Just in time

Fourth Street open for business

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By JON DUVAL
Express Staff Writer

The final touches of the Fourth Street Heritage Corridor’s second phase were put in place on Thursday, in time for the two block stretch to open in time for Ketchum’s Fourth on Fourth Celebration. New pavement, widened sidewalks, bike racks and sculptures now grace the Fourth Street between Leadville and Washington avenues.

Construction on the second phase of the Fourth Street Heritage Corridor came in under the July 2 deadline, with the street opening in plenty of time for Ketchum's Fourth on Fourth Celebration.

This phase of the three-stage project runs along Fourth Street from Leadville Avenue west across Main Street to Washington Avenue.

The work includes new pavement, sidewalks, benches, bike racks and sculptures.

Last summer the city began with construction on the two blocks from Walnut to Leadville avenues as the first part of its plan to create a more pedestrian-friendly town center by widening sidewalks, narrowing Fourth Street and adding new street lights and places for public art.

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Eventually, the completed project will span the entire length of the eight-block street from Spruce to Second Avenue, costing an estimated $4.5 million.

Bellevue-based Burkes Construction was awarded the $577,148 bid and work began at the end of April.

At a special meeting on Monday, the City Council approved a $36,363 change order for the project.

Interim City Administrator Jim Jaquet, who has remained in office to see this phase of the project through, said that among other smaller changes, the increase was for a heat shield to make the sidewalk heating system more energy efficient. Although the infrastructure is in place, the city has not yet utilized the system due to funding.

Jaquet said that this change came out of the 10 percent contingency fund, totaling $57,000, set up before construction started for situations just like this.