Photo by Eric Ayres – An addition to the proposed Wheeling Streetscape project involves relocating Nailers Way — also known as South Street — to connect with Main Street at the 16th Street intersection as opposed to its current connection along the south side of the Flatiron Building. In order to prepare for the project, the city plans to remove an underground tank beneath the parking lot behind WesBanco Arena where a gas station once operated along Main Street.
WHEELING — A great deal of work will still need to be completed over the next few months in preparation for the start of the highly anticipated Wheeling Downtown Streetscape Project.
The state of West Virginia committed $25 million for the project, which has been in the works for many years and has expanded over time. The project will bring new street surfaces, sidewalks, curbs, lighting, storm sewer systems and other features to the downtown area, and work is expected to begin next spring.
Before construction begins, however, city officials have been working to complete utility upgrades and other projects underground. Much of the work — such as ongoing separation of combined sanitary and storm sewer systems — has already been in motion as part of the city’s long-term improvement plans and efforts to meet Environmental Protection Agency compliance.
However, a chunk of this underground work in advance of the Streetscape project is being completed to avoid having to tear into newly revitalized streets and sidewalks in the future.
On Wednesday, members of Wheeling City Council will be voting on an ordinance authorizing the design and construction of waterworks in the downtown area, issuing bond anticipation notes for this work in an amount not to exceed $8 million.
Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron said the waterline work is estimated to cost around $6.3 million, and the bond will be sold in the amount based on the bid price.
“We want the water project contractor to be two to three months ahead of the Streetscape contractor,” Herron said. “Several months ago, the city authorized funding for engineering and designs for a new waterline from 9th to 16th streets. This is for a 20-inch water main as well as a connector that were installed in 1889.”
Herron noted that the historic water infrastructure in the downtown is still operational, but it is very old, and when large main lines like this do eventually break, the impact typically is dramatic and work to repair is extensive.
Water lines on Main Street from 9th Street to 16th Street are to be replaced, as well as those along 16th Street from Main Street and Market Street, and on Market Street from 10th Street to 11th Street. Additionally, water lines along Market Street from 12th Street to 16th Street may need to be replaced, Herron indicated, noting that a huge 60-inch pipe will be installed as part of the sewer separation work in this area.
While the city is paying a sizable chunk of money to bring utility improvements to the downtown area, much of it has either already been completed or is being funded as part of the Streetscape project. Ongoing sewer separation work is included in the $25 million state funding commitment, the city manager said. The West Virginia Division of Highways has been involved with work on the sewer separation project in the downtown area.
“We’re excited about moving forward with this project,” the city manager said.
The sewer separation work also is underway, as portions were completed as part of the project that brought the new Health Plan complex to downtown Wheeling. Other public utilities have also been upgraded in advance of the upcoming Streetscape project, including gas line replacements in the downtown area.
A more recent addition to the Wheeling Downtown Streetscape Project will be the relocation of South Street – also known as Nailers Way – to connect to Main Street further south to create a four-way intersection where 16th Street and Main Street currently meet. City leaders authorized design work to proceed on this project addition, which will see Nailers Way run between WesBanco Area and the rear of the Robert C. Byrd Intermodal Transportation Center and through the city-owned surface lot to the south of the arena. The lot will be bisected when the road is relocated to the new intersection at 16th Street, where a new four-way traffic signal is expected to be installed.
Before the city proceeds with this, however, an underground gas tank is expected to be removed. Herron noted that one underground tank is presently located under the lot near Main Street where a gas station was once located. Across the street from this site in a lot owned by West Virginia Northern Community College, several underground tanks were recently dug up and removed from the lot, which had been sinking and for years has not permitted vehicle parking there.
“That’s not the same situation we have,” Herron noted. “There’s only one underground tank in our lot near the Main Street site.”
Legislation has been introduced before Wheeling City Council authorizing environmental site assessment and removal of the underground storage tank on Lot 9. The ordinance authorizes the expenditure of up to $93,600 to be charged to the city’s Project Fund for this work.
The Link LonkNovember 02, 2020 at 12:46PM
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