Oak and Catherine streets have fully reopened with the completion of brick installation, Mayor Matt Starr told the Mount Vernon News on Dec. 17.
“All the roadways have been open. Everybody's able to get back to get into their homes and travel through the neighborhoods,” he said.
Five driveways will need to be redone. This work will include sidewalk replacement in some of the areas so that the aprons into the driveways are not too steep.
“There's just the topography that makes it difficult, in addition to when you couple that with the proximity of the home in the garage to the road. We've got to lower the sidewalk in some of those areas so that the apron is not as steep,” Starr said.
That work will start sometime after the start of the new year. Other “punch card” items were completed after inspection of the work.
Utilities Department
The underground water reservoir also nears completion, Starr said. Authorization was given to the Utilities Department to start chlorination and testing of the water in the 2-million-gallon reservoir. During this week, site work, including cleaning up, seeding and grading, will be done.
The McKinley Street waterline is done, with approximately 500 feet of water line installed. For now, gravel and cold patch is covering the waterline. In spring, when paving resumes, that will be an area the city will include, Starr said.
Parks Department
Strong winds from storms kept the Parks Department busy cleaning up the city’s parks, mulching the leaves and picking up sticks and branches. Equipment maintenance has begun with the end of events at the parks for the season.
Street Department
The final truck used as a street sweeper has been converted into a snowplow for winter, and leaf pick up has ended.
“We’re ready for any of the snowfall,” he said.