by Michael Howell
An addition to the City of Hamilton’s sewer system that will serve the county’s Targeted Economic Development District northeast of town is about to go out to bid. The new mainline will be installed along Old Corvallis Road along the property owned by Tonix Pharmaceuticals and flow by gravity to the lift station located near the Ravalli County Economic Development Authority’s building.
The Ravalli County Commissioners approved putting the project out to bid last week. According to Commission Chairman Dan Huls, a few final details remain to be worked out concerning the required railroad track crossing and the Corvallis Ditch crossing before the bids can actually go out.
The project changed shape as it underwent review by the County Road Department. One suggestion resulted in the line not being placed down the center of the road as is customary, but instead down the center of the southbound lane. This was in response to Road Department Administrator John Horat’s concerns about having the four manholes required for sewer access in the middle of the road where snow is plowed in winter.
Other changes included placing stripes along the fog line at the roadside as well as striping the regular center line and pre-leveling the asphalt. Montana Rail Link, which initially agreed to cutting through the rail line, changed its mind and the sewer main will be placed under the tracks through a bore hole. The Corvallis Ditch crossing design has not been finalized.
The project is scheduled to be completed by March 21. Once installed the line will serve six existing 6-inch commercial connections and another couple of 4-inch connections to a couple of duplexes.
The next step in the process, according to Commissioner Jeff Burrows, will be to extend this service from the western border of the TEDD across the Eastside Highway all the way to the airport.