Work is underway in many areas of Blue Earth, despite the cold and sometimes rainy weather conditions.

Spring has brought a deluge of April showers, but it has also brought new improvement projects to the streets of Blue Earth.

Bolton & Menk project engineer Ben Rosol confirms that despite recent inclement weather, the 2022 street and utility improvements are slated to start on schedule.

This means Blue Earth residents should start seeing signs of new construction around town next week.

Rosol says tree removals are slotted to occur this Friday. Starting Monday, May 9, Holtmeier Construction will arrive in Blue Earth to commence underground installation.

Two crews will be at work around town over the next few weeks. One crew will focus on the First Street area, while the other crew will start on Galbraith Street between Fourth and Third Streets.

“It will go until about the middle of October,” Rosol adds.

The full street and utility improvement plans concern First Street from Main Street to Gorman Street, the block of Moore Street north of First Street, the block of Galbraith Street north of First Street, Gorman Street from First Street to Seventh Street, Galbraith Street from Third Street to Fifth Street, and Fourth Street from Galbraith Street to Rice Street.

There is also a small block on the east end of Ninth Street, by Blue Earth Monument, which is slated for full reconstruction.

In fact, apart from a block of Galbraith Street between Fourth and Fifth Street which will only receive mill and overlay, the rest of the areas slated for improvement will receive full reconstruction.

Reconstruction involves street reconstruction, underground replacement of subsurface drains, installation of driveway aprons and curb and gutter, improvements to sanitary sewer mains, pipes and manholes, improvements to storm sewer mains, pipes and manholes, replacement of watermains, hydrants, valves and fittings, installation of water and sewer lines to property lines, and installation of new concrete sidewalk.

Rosol explains Blue Earth’s Street Committee is in charge of determining the city’s street and utility improvement plan each year.

“Essentially, we (Bolton & Menk) work with them,” Rosol says.

The committee develops a five-year capital improvement plan outlining which area streets are cracking under pressure.

“It comes down to the serviceability of (the streets),” Rosol says. “The condition of the street surface, if there is poor water drainage, poor infrastructure.” 

As for this summer’s projects, Rosol says, “There’s a fair amount of blocks that don’t have sanitary sewer or water main. With adding sanitary and water main to the streets, then residents will have better services going to their houses.”

The city will use general obligation bonds to cover the estimated $4.1 million cost of the project.

The 2022 street and utility improvement project will not be the only project drawing construction crews to Blue Earth over the next few months.

Crews will also be wrapping up projects which were started last summer over the next few weeks.

“It is just punchlist work,” Rosol says.

He explains work will be taking place on 10th Street and Nicollet Street starting on May 13, and on Walnut Street and Hood Street starting on June 1. He anticipates construction will wrap up mid-June.

However, these projects still do not account for the construction projects which popped up around town last week, puzzling residents.

Blue Earth Public Works director Jamison Holland explains, “None of them are part of our project.” 

The projects are actually being conducted by three separate entities. One is a major replacement of a CenterPoint Energy-owned gas line, one is a continuation of a project started by Bevcomm last year, and one is underground installation by Blue Earth Light and Water (BELW).

Holland adds coordinating yearly warm-weather projects is difficult, and overlapping schedules can be unavoidable.

“We don’t know our street projects are for sure going to go through until the bids are accepted and the council signs off on it,” Holland says. As such, the Public Works Department does not like to turn down company project requests when they come forward.

Separate crews, and residents, are usually able to work around each other, however.

“We’ll do our best to make things smooth and convenient,” Rosol says. “The last so many projects I’ve been involved with, a lot of residents have been patient with the project, and that goes a long ways.” 

Blue Earth residents who are interested in more detailed information about upcoming street and utility projects can visit www.BlueEarthConstructionProjects.com.

Residents can also sign up for regular project updates via email or text at the website.