Union Pacific replacing culverts; city to move sewer line in Scott City

Scott City soon may see some relief from its street flooding after the latest round of construction.

A contractor for Union Pacific is replacing wooden culverts near the railroad by Oak and Main streets.

After completing the Oak and Main Street construction, railroad workers will replace another culvert about one-eighth of a mile east of Oak Street, across from Rams Car Wash, Mayor Tim Porch said.

The culverts have caused some longtime issues with the city because they are too small to accommodate storm water.

Porch said they are being replaced with two six-foot culverts.

A subcontractor with the Union Pacific railroad continues construction Thursday at the corner of Main and Oak streets in Scott City. (Glenn Landberg)

At its meeting Monday night, the city council went into closed session to discuss Scott City's contract with Union Pacific, addressing the issue of who will pay for moving a sewer line that will be exposed by the latest construction.

Porch said it was determined the city's contract with UP, signed in the 1980s, requires the city to pay for moving the sewer line if it should become an issue.

This pipe transports 90 percent of Scott City's sewage, so Porch said the council thought it best to lower the pipe and keep it covered to negate the possibility of damage.

"We're waiting on them," Porch said of the construction. "It's an ongoing process. Daily, the plans change, but it seems to be more of a logistical problem."

Porch explained the culverts will be running from north to south, and the sewer line runs perpendicular to that.

The city will lower the sewer line so it runs under the ditch.

The project is estimated at $25,000, Porch said, and will be done in-house after UP's contractor finishes its portion of the work.

"There's nothing easy about it," Porch said. "We'll have to shut everything off, causing the lift stations to fill up, and we'll have to do it in two to three hours. But I think we can do it."

City administrator Ron Eskew said this should clear up the flooding that occurs on Oak Street.

Porch estimated UP would conclude construction in about a week.

Construction should not affect vehicle traffic or interrupt train schedules, he said.

smaue@semissourian.com

388-3644

Pertinent address:

Oak Street and Main Street, Scott City, Mo.