A road reconstruction project near downtown Pella has had several delays heading into the teeth of winter. Pella Public Works Director Wilf Nixon says there are several challenges when dealing with the streets near the central business district.

“Lincoln Street is probably somewhat typical of what we face with some of our blocks in Central Pella, in that it’s fairly narrow, and the right of way we have is very narrow,” he says. “We also have sanitary sewer buried very deep there — it’s something like 18 to 20 feet deep there, so you’re digging very deep there.”

He says the Lincoln Street project was a comprehensive reconstruction that included replacing sanitary sewer, storm sewers, and water lines. Nixon was hopeful crews could have progressed more than they did, but early snow in December complicated that.

“I just wish we were further on before we hit the snows of December and we could progress more quickly now,” he says. “We are–I hope, in the final phase of what we’re planning to do this winter. We’re going to get in one final stretch of sewer line and then ‘rock it out’ until we get to the spring and we can finish everything off, and do the paving.”

Hear more about the latest with the Pella Public Works Department on today’s Let’s Talk Pella.