Street projects galore

Anyone who has been driving on the city streets of Hallettsville, especially on Kahn and Donna streets, or on N. Ridge St. in front of Hallettsville High and Hallettsville Elementary schools, have noticed a project that has been taking place in those areas.

This project, which started in March, is part of $9.98 million General Land Office (GLO) grant and is being applied to a number of drainage projects undertaken by the City of Hallettsville.

The purpose of this project is to alleviate the tremendous surface water flooding that takes place after a heavy rainfall.

“We’re trying to get the rain runoff to stop destroying our streets and the way to do it is to get the rain water to flow below the street instead of having it run down the surface of the street,” City of Hallettsville administrator/secretary Grace Ward said.

Regarding the project on Kahn and Donna streets, Ward said, “We do have some underground storm sewer through town and at the beginning of Kahn we have a few drop inlets that lead to the river. The project on Kahn and Donna includes underground drainage and re-ditching to move the water off the people’s property, into the ditch, and into the storm drain faster.”

Ward said the initial project began on Kahn and Donna streets near the Stevens Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, but was halted for the crew to move to Ridge St. in front of HHS and HES and be completed before school started on Aug. 15.

Ward said in regards to the project on N. Ridge St., “The city does have drop inlets in front of the high school, but they are too small to handle the water. So, we’re taking that underground pipe down to Page St. and placing drop inlets along the street so it doesn’t get to the school. It will go underground and alleviate the high rise of water in that location.”

Following the completion on Ridge St., they will address a short street behind the gymnasium by installing extra drop inlets in that area.

Ward said other area streets to be addressed include 2nd Street on the south side of HHS as well S. Glendale St. behind Sacred Heart School.

“On S. Glendale, the drainage project will run from Fifth St. down Glendale to Russell St. and the water will drain south to the river,” Ward said.

One other drainage project will take place on FM 957 near the Richardson Chapel United Methodist Church.

“The ditch in front of the church is as deep as I am tall,” Ward said. “We will put an underground section from Park Rd. 3 down to the American Legion Hall.”

Street Improvements:

This past May, city residents approved a $6 million bond designated primarily for street improvements and a little utility work.

Ward said about half of the bond will go toward replacing the roadway on S. Main St. from the Hallettsville Police Department to S. Russell St.

“S. Main is a concrete street and when you drive down it, you can see the breaks in the road,” Ward said. “Over the years we have placed asphalt over it, but the concrete below has shifted causing an uneven road surface.”

Ward said this project will involve digging up the concrete and rebuilding the road.

Regarding another planned project, Ward said the city received a $500 thousand dollar grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture, which is designated for water line replacement on Mulberry, S. Pecan and Fifth streets.

TxDOT Plans

In addition to the city street jobs taking place, Ward said the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will be conducting some projects as well.

She said TxDOT has three projects on the books as well as two preliminary ones.

“One project that will be taking place as early as this week is the intersection at FM 957, N. Main and Park streets, near the American Legion Hall,” Ward said. “On Wednesday, the intersection will be converted into a four-way stop.”

Another project in TxDOT’s plans in the near future is upgrading the four traffic lights in Hallettsville.

Ward said the traffic lights will be taken the from hanging wires and will be placed on poles overhanging at a higher level over the roadways.

A third project involves the installation of sidewalks that will run along Highway 90-A beginning at the Hallettsville Inn on Fairwinds and extending to the Family Dollar Store on E. Fourth St.

Ward said the sidewalk project will be going out for bids by the end of the year.

According to Ward, the two other TxDOT projects also involve the installation of sidewalks with one along Hwy. 77N (N. Texana St.) and the other on FM 957 from the traffic light near Dollar General, down La Grange St. to the park area.

“You may have seen surveyors around town and they are trying to determine which side of the roadway to place the sidewalks,” Ward said.