Overnight rainfall caused some huge water issues on areas of Staples that were dug up last week in the turnback progression. Workers running equipment from Tom’s Backhoe of Brainerd and others faced deep pools of water Monday morning following an unofficial .33 inches of rainfall received Aug. 1 and another .55 received Aug. 2 (precipitation recorded at the Staples airport). The workers and machines made short order of the standing pools, draining this and another hole in front of the Staples Post Office on 4th Street NE before Monday noon. (Staples World photo by Janice Winter) Rain over the weekend caused a delay in the construction work in downtown Staples but, as the week progressed and the water dried up, crews have continued with the project.

At their weekly progress meeting on the Old Highway 10 Turnback project Monday, engineers and city officials discussed tentative construction plans and heard concerns from property owners.

With Railroad Days just weeks away, Becky Blanchard from Twisted Sisters wondered how the street dance, car show and other Railroad Days activities could take place along a torn-up 2nd Avenue.

Blanchard feared that construction, moving west along 2nd Avenue, would reach businesses (hers included) near 3rd Street just in time for Railroad Days.

Tom Thompson, the contractor with Tom’s Backhoe, said that side streets off of new Hwy 10 and on either side of 2nd Avenue will generally be open, although there will be dead-ends as they come up on the construction along the 2nd Ave. corridor, and there will be planks set up for people to walk on.

Tim Houle, Civil Engi- neer with Widseth, Smith and Nolting, has set up a Coordination Meeting to address this issue for today.

“Will this project address flooding at the Burger King intersection?” was another question voiced at Monday’s meeting.

According to Houle, it will. Houle reported that the storm sewer pipe pretty much takes all of the 2nd Avenue drainage down to 11th Street and then north to the new stormwater basin between 3rd and 4th avenues.

Houle also mentioned that the water is staying in there longer right now due to erosion control devices which keep the water back. In the future, when they are removed and grass plants are growing throughout the bottom and the sides of the basin, the water will soak in better. While it will pond up on big storms, it will flow better, Houle said.

Progress reports include the following:

Ninth Street, 11th Street, from 3rd to

2nd Ave.

This includes 3rd Ave. and continues to the north side of 2nd Ave. Thompson does not envision a lot of work going on in this area for a little while. Signs have been adjusted to open these streets up to traffic; however, these are still construction zones.

12th Street

There are still no upcoming plans to work on this street.

Second Avenue,

between 9th and

12th streets

The retaining wall crews will continue working in this stretch, Thompson said. After the retaining walls are in, Tom’s crews will start preparing for a new sidewalk. Signs have been adjusted to allow traffic on this stretch but, again, this is still a construction zone.

Second Avenue, between 5th and 9th

streets

This includes the 6th Street and 2nd Ave. intersection. The contractor reported that his crews would be finishing the subgrade and would be putting down the Class 5 aggregate base this week. They are hoping to put in curb and gutter this Friday and pave the first lift of bituminous the week of Aug. 9. A temporary gravel base for 6th Street has been put in to allow north-south traffic.

Second Ave., 4th

Street intersection

Thompson reported this intersection would be closed this week as construction is progressing in this area. Still open, however, are intersections at 2nd Ave. and 3rd Street; and 2nd Ave. and 6th Street.

Fourth Street, Third

to Second Ave.

This week Tom’s crews plan finish a few temporary water hook-ups. They will also be trenching in new sanitary sewer, watermain and other services.

Second Avenue between 4th and 5th

streets

The backhoe crews will be working on this block all week, starting with removals of pavement and sidewalk and moving onto trenching.

Fourth Street, from

2nd Ave to Hwy 10

There will be some digging in this area, with plans to get some temporary water hook-ups connected. Tom also anticipates starting to do removals in this block later this week.