By James Day
Silverton city staffers have been given a pair of awards for the work performed on McClaine Street.
The Oregon chapter of the American Public Works Association honored the city as its “transportation project of the year” in the less than $5 million category. In addition to city Public Works staff, the efforts of engineering firm Keller Associates and contractor K&E Excavating also were noted. Also, the project was given an engineering excellence award by the American Council of Engineering Companies.
Planning for the project began in 2018 and it went forward amid a series of obstacles – the COVID-19 pandemic, the Labor Day 2020 fires and smoke and the February 2021 ice storm. The job was finished May 27, 2021.
The McClaine Street project:
• Widened the street and performed a full-depth reconstruction.
• Added bike lanes and sidewalks.
• Added new stormwater infrastructure to address flooding issues.
• Upgraded the existing sanitary sewer system to allow the city to abandon an aging lift station that required intensive maintenance.
“The goal of the city’s McClaine Street Improvements project was to elevate historic McClaine Street into a vibrant, multi-modal urban corridor to connect the city through the west side to Highway 213,” city engineer Bart Stepp wrote in the nomination papers for the awards. “This long-awaited effort addressed critical transportation and infrastructure needs by providing additional options for walking, biking, and motoring; improving business access, utilities, and drainage; and adding amenities such as streetlights and planters.
“The project is the story of a dedicated team working in synergy to overcome obstacles and enhance the lives of (the) community.”
The work also came in under its $3 million estimated budget.
Stepp was the project manager for the street work, with Jensen Price of the city serving as the project engineer.
