Fort Smith riverfront infrastructure work begins
by July 11, 2012 6:01 pm 137 views
Forsgren, Inc., began construction on $2.1 million of Fort Smith riverfront water and sewer improvements Tuesday (July 10).
The improvements, according to a media release from Fort Smith communications manager Tracy Winchell, will create “100 acres of prime river front property, including the site for the U.S. Marshals Museum.”
The Fort Smith Board of Directors agreed to move forward on the project, which will extend water and sewer lines along Riverfront Drive to North P Street, in October 2011 after a joint meeting with the Central Business Improvement District (CBID).
Fort Smith Administrator Ray Gosack said the U.S. Marshals Museum is thus far the only project in the queue for the riverfront, adding that “the board is making this investment to stimulate other development.”
Gosack continued: “With this investment, the property is now development ready.”
Funding for the project, Gosack said, will come from $250,000 of federal funds and $1.85 million from the city’s water and sewer fund.
Construction will move in two phases with Wednesday morning’s groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of phase one. The total project “will lay 8,600’ of 6-inch and 12-inch water mains, and over 6,100 feet of sewer lines,” Winchell added, with “approximately 12 fire hydrants” to be installed along with the water mains.
EDM Consultants of Fort Smith holds the design engineer contract with the city, and Forsgren is in charge of phase one construction. Gosack said the phase two contract has not been awarded.