Two Quincy streets slated for improvements

QUINCY — Sections of Third Avenue SW and Sixth Avenue NE in Quincy are scheduled for improvements. Quincy City Council members approved bids for two separate road projects Sept. 19, with bid opening Sept. 28.

The section of Third Avenue SW slated for improvement runs from B Street SW to Division Street West. City Engineer Ariel Belino said it’s the last section of the street scheduled for improvement.

“That portion of the roadway is just a dirt road, and during a rain event the water tends to pool there,” Belino said. “We wanted to finish that (section), put sidewalks on the west side and (add) some stormwater detention.”

The road will be excavated, a new roadbed with storm drains added, with new curbs, gutters and sidewalk and the road paved with asphalt.

The Sixth Avenue NE project will include the section from G Street NE to I Street NE.

“This project is to widen the narrow portion of Sixth Avenue Northeast from G Street to south of I Street Northeast,” Belino said.

The street provides access to a housing development and the developers planned to widen it, he said.

“However, it’s not part of the frontage of their property so it falls to the city,” he said.

Sixth Avenue NE is paved; the old asphalt will be taken out, the roadbed rebuilt and storm drains installed, curbs, gutters and sidewalks added, and the road repaved.

Council members also approved awarding a bid to Vasquez Construction, Quincy, to extend the sidewalk on the south side of Jackrabbit Street opposite Quincy High School. Project cost was $50,000 plus taxes.

The vote was 4-1, with Josey Ferguson voting no.

It’s the second phase of a project to widen the sidewalk between Third and Sixth Avenue NE. Vasquez Construction was the contractor for the first phase, and Ferguson said he wasn’t satisfied with the work.

“I have a little issue with their workmanship, just driving by and seeing how they did things,” Ferguson said.

Two sections of the sidewalk were replaced, Belino said, at his direction. Ferguson said from his observations the base layer was not properly prepared in other sections. Belino said city officials can require further repairs if necessary.

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.