Camelia Street to receive much needed maintenance, updates

ROYAL CITY — Downtown streets of Royal City will soon see maintenance repairs and new curb appeal in the upcoming months.

New streetlights, an upgraded water main, curbing, pavement and sidewalks are all included on the project docket explained public works director, John Lasen. Planning for the renovations have been in the works for a number years Lasen said.

“We wanted to make downtown a little better,” said Lasen.

The existing Camelia Street was built over 30 years ago he explained. The inspiration for the project first came about with the idea to repair main water lines. But with lights and other upgrades needed, a decision to create one project to accomplish all of the upgrades at once was made to avoid a patchwork project of only repairing the water lines and repaving back over them.

Current water pipes are both old and fragile Lasen said. They are also too small and unable to pump enough water through them or withstand the pressure, resulting in leaks and requiring maintenance several times a year. In the upgrades, about 3,500 feet of the existing 11,000 feet of old piping will be replaced with larger piping.

Sidewalks and traditional curbing are also included in the new design.

“The existing street has rolled curbing,” Lasen said.

The rolled curbing, Lasen explained, doesn’t allow for appointed or safe points of entry or exit on the street as both the street and parking lots of the businesses along it roll into each other with no breaking point. Traditional curbing will make it safer for drivers as it will designate points of entry to avoid cars from pulling out in front of each other.

Sidewalks and new lighting will be put in along both sides of the street from Royal Avenue to Cedar Street. The from Cedar east to Apple Avenue, a sidewalk will be placed only along the north side.

In total, the upgrading is projected to take about 6 months to complete with the project being divided into two 3-month phases. The downtown area will be first of the two phases with the hopes of completion before Royal City SummerFest, which takes place in July.

Lasen said that the renovations should last the town for an additional 20-30 years.

Walla Walla based civil engineering, surveying and natural resources firm, Anderson Perry & Associates, have been brought on to help with the design and draft a bid package. Lasen explained that the project will go to bid the beginning of February and the hope is to have an official contractor selected by the first week of March. Once a contractor is selected, a project timeline will be officially established for completing the work.