Council approves redevelopment funds to add 100-year-old water-main replacement to Second Street project

Columbus City Council on June 3 authorized the Columbus Redevelopment Commission to expend funds to add replacement of a 100-year-old water main to the Second Street improvement project, approving the measure on first reading by an 8–0 vote.

Redevelopment staff told council the decision was made to coordinate the city’s roadway work with Columbus City Utilities so the street would not be dug up multiple times by separate projects. Redevelopment staff said the utilities’ estimate to replace the aging water main was $3,295,000; the redevelopment commission approved a $3,296,000 request to cover the water-main work in addition to the earlier-approved amount for the street project, resulting in a stated total project cost communicated at the meeting.

Redevelopment staff member Heather Pope said the city paused its roadway schedule when it learned utilities were planning a replacement three months later and that combining the projects would produce economies of scale and reduce repeated disruptions. “We paused our project in an effort to recognize some efficiencies within the two projects,” Pope told the council during the presentation.

Council members asked whether the added cost would affect water rates; city staff and utilities representatives said the change would not immediately affect rates and could reduce future bonding needs by avoiding duplicate construction. Staff also said the existing water main is approximately 8 inches and the replacement would be larger (staff referred to about 16 inches) to increase capacity.

The resolution authorizes the Redevelopment Commission to expend more than $500,000 for the Second Street improvement project limited to the water-main replacement and passed 8–0.