Water mains construction starts April 20

MOSES LAKE — Construction will begin Monday on a project to replace water mains along Valley Road, between Stratford Road and Paxson Drive, and a section along Loop Drive. The project will cause traffic delays and detours.

Crews will replace one mile of water main along Valley Road with new 12-inch PVC pipe, which is larger than the existing main. About 2,000 feet of water main along Loop Drive will be replaced with 8-inch PVC pipe.

The project is expected to cost $935,547.62 and to be completed by early July. The contractor is C&R Tractor and Landscaping, of Kelso.

The Loop Drive work will replace aging water pipe that has had several breaks during the past few years.

The Valley Road water main work is the first part of major rebuilding work on the road. City engineer Richard Law said Valley Road’s original construction does not meet current standards.

“We’re going to be taking it down to the rock,” he said, removing the asphalt, excavating and replacing the road bed and repaving.

City officials have been working on obtaining funding for the rebuilding and repaving of Valley Road and have the work tentatively scheduled for 2021. But the impact on the state’s economy of measures to combat the COVID-19 outbreak could affect the funding and timeline, Law said.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].