The area around 12th and Prairie is more congested than normal, and that will be the case for the next two weeks.
City Engineering crews have shut down the 12th and Prairie intersection as work continues on a major water line replacement project. Residents are told to find alternate routes around that work zone.
City Engineer Jim Ubert says the new pipes should be far more sturdy than the existing lines.
Crews have been working for several weeks to replace a 20-inch line along 12th from Prairie to Grand. Once that project is done, crews will tackle another water line project near the Emporia Country Club. That project will affect Rural and East Wilman from 15th to 18th and could last into September.
City crews are also planning to replace a 16-inch water main along Kansas Avenue from Exchange to Penny Lane as well as Warren Way from South to Logan. That project, which includes a new water tower, will help the ongoing Simmons Pet Food expansion.
For road projects, Industrial Road has already seen work at 24th in a couple phases as Aldi moves from Emporia West Plaza to the southwest corner of that intersection. Ubert says the current project to add a turn lane for eastbound traffic on 24th should be closing down by early next week. Re-paving is coming for Industrial from US Highway 50 north to Interstate 35 along with Merchant Street from South to 12th. Those projects will last into October.
Merchant, meanwhile, will have repaving from 12th to Interstate 35 as part of a city-state cost-sharing process. That project also involves Commercial from Kansas Avenue to Third Avenue. That work could go from August to October.
Several streets are involved in the city’s annual street rehabilitation project. Milling is nearly completed, with the overall project wrapping up by early August.
