Alfred Wright Boulevard Project Moves Ahead

IRONWOOD, MI - Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - Work on the Alfred Wright Boulevard construction project continued yesterday. Ross Peterson Construction workers are cutting out old six inch water main in preparation to connect a new eight  inch water line at the intersection of Alfred Wright Boulevard and McLeod Avenue in the photo above.

The City water crew is pictured above using a hydraulic valve turning machine on an Alfred Wright side street in a effort to shut the water down so that Ross Peterson Construction  will be able to make the necessary side street tie-ins to the Alfred  Wright Boulevard twelve inch water main.

The project involves a complete overhaul of the 7/10 of a mile of the boulevard, including new sidewalks, a walking trail, curbing, gutters, catch basins, water supply and waste lines.

Ross Peterson is the general contractor for the job and Ruostala Construction will be assisting on the project. Coleman Engineering was awarded the sight supervision contract for the project.

The City was approved for a federal Small Urban Grant in the amount of $375,000 to do the project. The project funds, through the federal government, will not be available until 2009/2010. In order to move the project forward, the State offered the City, and the City accepted a "Local Jobs Today Program" loan where the City borrows funds, using the federal grant as a guarantee, from the State. In addition to the low interest rate of 4%, the "Local Jobs Today Program" is kicking in $93,000 as an incentive to move the project along.