City of Amarillo addresses upcoming downtown water main replacement project

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - An upcoming project impacting the downtown Amarillo area was the topic of discussion tonight.

The City of Amarillo hosted a public meeting about the Downtown Water Main Replacement Project at the downtown library.

City staff was there providing information, along with answering any questions about the project.

The reason behind the project is needing to replace the water main under the BNSF railroad tracks at SE Ninth Ave.

This project will consist of water main replacements, a sanitary sewer regrade and pavement repairs in the downtown area.

It will also include existing pipe abandonments, curb and gutter repair and placement of temporary traffic control.

“This being in the downtown area some of that infrastructure is quite old, the original pipeline crossing of the railroad tracks was done in 1918, so there’s some pipes as old as that, some not much newer,” said Jackson Zaharia, city engineer, COA.

The areas affected will be Johnson, Grant and Arthur streets from SE Fifth Ave to SE Ninth Ave.

“There will be affect to traffic and there will be temporary lane closures now and then, as our contractor completes the work,” said Zaharia.

Zaharia says these upgrades are essential to the downtown area.

The consequences for not doing a replacement like this would essentially be water main breaks, more maintenance funds being expended in the future on lines that need to be maintained or replaced,” said Zaharia.

The city anticipates construction beginning at the end of next month or early April.

Depending on supply chain, it should last around nine months.

The city will alert the public about any traffic impacts as it gets closer.

For more information or questions concerning this project, you are asked to call the COA Capital Projects and Development Engineering Department at (806) 378-9334.

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