20th Street will see reprieve from major construction this year

• Projects this year include the 2P waterline, completing a new waste water treatment plant and a pump station for the 4P zone of the water system..

FARMINGTON — Businesses on 20th Street will see a reprieve from major construction projects this year, but businesses and commuters in south Farmington will see major projects.

Farmington Public Works Director David Sypher said there will be some minor projects, such as stormwater lines and water lines, crossing 20th Street this year, and an emergency repair was done earlier this month at the intersection of 20th Street and Fairview Avenue.

However, the major construction that businesses faced the past two summers will not be a challenge this year.

“We’re not going to have any major lane closures,” Sypher said.

He said construction will likely begin next spring on phase three of the 20th Street sidewalk project. Phase three will cost about $900,000. There will be lanes closed and some restricted access to businesses during that construction. The third phase will stretch from Sullivan Avenue to Dustin Avenue. Sypher said there will be coordinated meetings with business owners prior to the start of construction.

At least one business owner claimed the 20th Street construction led to their store closing in 2016 and other business owners have said the construction made it hard for customers to access their shops.

The construction on the phase one and phase two took about two years to complete.

Businesses between Dustin and Sullivan avenues include Smiths, Walgreens, Natural Grocers and Johnny O’s Spudnuts.

Projects and street closings will be posted on the city’s website, fmtn.org, under the public works closures.

The streets department is currently finishing up fiscal year 2018 projects. The remaining streets projects will cost about $1 million total to complete. These include work in the area of Teton Circle, Canyon View Drive, Tampico Court and Tampico Place. There will also be street work on Municipal Drive from 20th Street to 30th Street. Bridge repairs are currently underway on the bridge over the Animas River on Broadway Avenue. Sypher said the bridge needed two repairs, including the joints of the bridge.

Sypher said the major construction projects for public works this year are for water and waste water.

Several of the upcoming projects that will cost at least $1 million include:

• The city will spend $1 million to finish phase 1 of the 2P Waterline project. This involves replacing 6-inch cast iron waterlines with 12-inch water lines in south Farmington.
• Phase 2 of the 2P Waterline project will begin this year and will cost $3.6 million. This project involves replacing waterlines in south Farmington, including on West Murray Drive.
• The city will spend replace 4,400 feet of old sewer lines on West Main Street between Valley Vista and West Murray Drive.
• The city will spend about $1.1 million to build a permanent pump station for the 4P section of its water system. A temporary pump station is located on Browning Parkway near Wildflower Parkway. It will be moved to a location east of the current location. The pump station will serve the Wildflower area and AV Water Co.’s Morningstar system.
• The city will likely complete the new waste water treatment plant by the end of June. The project is 95 percent done and its total price tag was $22 million.
• The city will replace water lines on San Juan Boulevard between American Street and Scott Avenue. The project will cost $1.4 million.

Other projects, such as street resurfacing, could begin this summer. The preliminary budget for fiscal year 2019 calls for $1.4 million on streets projects.

Hannah Grover covers government for The Daily Times. She can be reached at 505-564-4652 or via email at hgrover@daily-times.com.