Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Bellevue alley dig turns up surprises

Unmarked gas lines and encroachments in city right of way


By TONY EVANS
Express Staff Writer

Duane Jernberg of the Bellevue Public Works Department inspects a water line replacement in progress. The project, which marks the beginning of water metering in the city, has turned up building and fence line encroachments on the city’s right of way. Photo by Willy Cook

An expected 10-year-long project to install water meters across Bellevue has just begun, but work crews are already turning up some surprises for property owners and the Public Works Department.

The plan to increase the size of water lines and begin water metering in the city was launched last fall after the department discovered an old water main that ran under several buildings along Chestnut Street. The lines should have been run under the alley in the city's right of way.

Further anomalies turned up earlier this month as work crews began trenching in the alleys between Chestnut and Pine streets. Several homes have fences and buildings encroaching on the alleys where meter vaults and water mains are to be installed.

"We know approximately where the water lines are," said City Administrator Tom Blanchard, who is working with property owners to clear alleys of obstructions while the 6-foot-deep trenches are dug this month.

"The city will remove obstructions, but property owners will have to replaces fences themselves," Blanchard said.

By Oct. 1 the city expects to have 59 homes metered on Sixth, Seventh and Eighth streets. Another 50 homes could be metered this fall if the City Council agrees to extend the first phase of the water line replacement project.

Public Works Director George Tanner said work crews were also running into surprises underground while digging the trenches, including an unmarked gas line.

"That could have been serious," Tanner said. "With pressurized gas lines, one spark and bang! We could have lost some people."

Tanner said his crews have been proceeding with caution since starting the project.

"The biggest challenge so far has been connecting the new lines to old and corroded water lines," he said.

Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com




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