9.30.09

M.U.D. Old Market Project combines old and new
By: Roger Hamer, WOWT

A major construction project is underway and we may not even notice.

A lot of work "underground" is in progress around the Old Market.

M.U.D. is replacing gas lines and refitting water mains.

There's some state of the art technology that's being used in for the first time.

The Old Market's brick streets show off a charm on the surface but below ground lurks a huge problem.

Gas and water lines dating to the 1800s need to be replaced.

Brad van de lune manages Stokes Grill and Bar at 12th and Howard.

He was concerned when he first heard about a one point two million dollar construction project that could tear up the area.

"You always have visions of bulldozers and torn up streets and stuff like that so yeah, that's what we were thinking about," van de Lune said.

But that didn't happen.

"We barely noticed that there's any construction," he said.

"If we were to do more of a traditional project we'd be tearing up brick from end to end, top to bottom through the old market to put that new main in the ground," said M.U.D. Project Manager Jeff Schovanec.

So M.U.D. is using new technology.

The original 1895 water mains will remain where they are and be upgraded by cleaning the inside of the pipe.

They are augured and flushed with water --- three thousand pounds of pressure per square inch.

Then a plastic liner is slipped inside the existing pipe.

"And that becomes your new structurally lined water main, good to a pressure of at least 150 pounds of pressure and a design life of at least fifty years perhaps much much more," Schovanec said.

It's faster than tearing up streets, and much less intrusive.

It is also about $150,000 cheaper.

"It was nice to see all three factors come together in the perfect project," Schovanec said. "You don't always get cost and benefit to come together in a project like this."

Gas lines are already done.

Temporary pipes run along curbs and across sidewalks to provide temporary water service.

It's better than the alternative.

"At least you can walk over it," van de Lune said. "You can't walk over a trench or anything like that."

Brad van de Lune says M.U.D.'s methods provided the best benefit possible.

"We've never been obstructed at all business has never been interrupted or slowed down one bit and I think that's pretty remarkable," he said.

All work should be finished by late October.

It's being paid through a monthly surcharge we're all paying to redo infrastructure throughout the city.

And if you're unhappy about paying for a project in another part of town, be patient.

We're told this technology will be used in numerous projects across the city.

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