Construction crews have begun tunneling work under the Union Pacific Railroad tracks at 5th Street and Fort Riley Blvd. It’s the first phase of a nearly $6.4 million storm sewer drainage improvement project near downtown Manhattan.
Crews are installing a 66-inch diameter concrete storm sewer pipe using a horizontal drilling machine to cut a tunnel beneath the tracks and gradually push the pipe into place, according to a release from the City. The project is anticipated to form a bottleneck to help ensure that stormwater has a better path to flow into the river.
The project is part of the larger Poyntz Ave/6th Street Storm Sewer Improvement which includes a major storm water pipe to run up 6th Street from Fort Riley Boulevard to Poyntz Avenue, and then in the street along Poyntz Avenue to 9th Street, with smaller storm lines and inlets extending into adjacent blocks to gather water from neighborhoods.
The contracting firm will also install new waterlines along portions of Juliette Avenue and Pierre Street.
The storm water project is funded through the city’s storm water utility fee, while the waterline work is financed from water utility funds.
The boring work is being done by Horizontal Boring & Tunneling, a Nebraska firm that specializes in this type of work. Equipment began moving onto the site on April 10 in preparation for the construction. To ensure safety and due to limited space, the public is asked not to visit the site.
