Broadway will undergo drainage improvements

Broadway could see another update soon, but this time, it's all underground.

The city of Cape Girardeau is accepting bids for the Broadway Stormwater Relief Sewer project until 2 p.m. Aug. 29.

According to city engineer Casey Brunke, stormwater flooding has been a persistent problem along the street.

"There's a long history of stormwater issues along Broadway," she said. "They go way back ... this [project] is going to convey stormwater currently collecting on Broadway and provide new routes to the station on Merriwether."

While designing the Broadway corridor project, inadequate stormwater drainage there became more apparent. No stormwater sewer is on any of the cross streets of Broadway between Water and Pacific streets except for Spanish and Frederick streets.

In June 2012, the city hired Horner & Shifrin to examine potential routes to drain stormwater off Broadway as part of a task order for the Broadway corridor project.

Brunke said stub locations were put in place during project construction at the intersections of Broadway and Ellis Street, Broadway and Frederick Street and Broadway and Middle Street.

Under the new project, new pipes will be laid and connected to the Merriwether storm tunnel.

Brunke said shrubbery and extended sidewalks in front of businesses along Broadway, which were part of the corridor project improvements, should not be disturbed by the upcoming project.

A mandatory pre-bid conference was held last week at the Osage Centre. Brunke said about 13 plan holders attended the meeting. She said not all of those attending were construction companies, so the number does not necessarily indicate the number of bids the city will receive.

All of the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud Aug. 29 in the city hall council chamber.

As long as this process is not delayed -- and Brunke said she doesn't expect it to be -- the city council will award the contract at its Sept. 9 meeting.

"The construction probably would begin around the last week of September or early October," she said. "That's the goal."

Brunke said new stormwater sewer infrastructure was much needed along the street.

"If you look at the name, it's called 'stormwater relief,' so hopefully that's what it does -- bring us a little relief."

During heavy downpours, water backs up along the sides of Broadway, creating shallow pools as it slowly enters the drainage system.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

Broadway Street, Cape Girardeau, MO

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, MO