B Street reconstruction to resume this week; city expects area reopened by early next week
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Summary
Public works staff told council construction on B Street will resume and crews will complete final service connections and backfill, with the street expected to be passable by the start of next week; final surface work remains to be scheduled.
City public works staff told the Helena-West Helena City Council July 29 that construction on the B Street project will resume this week and crews expect to finish service connections and backfill early next week, with the street open to traffic thereafter.
The water superintendent said crews delayed the final work to ensure a sewer line was flowing properly; the staff update said the sewer line now flows correctly and the remaining work is primarily final backfill and compaction. Staff said they plan to pack dirt and temporarily reopen the street before final surface repairs.
Surface restoration: Council members asked whether the street’s historic brick surface would be replaced. The water superintendent said the immediate priority is fill and compaction and that the city may install concrete rather than restore brick, but he cautioned that final surfacing decisions and costs are still to be determined.
Why it matters: Residents on B Street have reported access and driveway problems during the extended construction; the superintendent acknowledged the inconvenience and said the city plans to finish the work promptly once final service connections and drainage components are confirmed.
Implementation and costs: The superintendent said the city will call on Southern Plumbing and other contractors for manpower to finish packing and filling; additional invoices are expected for that extra manpower. The council did not approve additional funding at the July 29 meeting; staff said they would bring invoices as needed.
Background: The council previously set an August target to wrap up the project; staff said the remaining work should be completed before Aug. 9, pending no unexpected complications with storm drain or final surfacing decisions.