Vehicles fill the available parking spaces surrounding the Marietta Square on Monday afternoon. The city is replacing a water line, installing brick crosswalks and resurfacing some streets beginning Jan. 4.
The work is scheduled to begin Jan. 4, and could last through May, said Dan Conn, the city’s public works director. The $1.3 million project is financed through the special purpose local option sales tax.
Dave Reardon, who has operated Shillings Restaurant on the Square for three decades, said the construction won’t help his business.
“I’m sure it’s not great for us, but what are you going to do?” Reardon said.
Construction will begin first along North Park Square, near Reardon’s restaurant. The plan is to work around the Square in small sections at a time to keep parking on the Square open, city manager Bill Bruton said.
The water line that loops around the Square beneath the curb line was built in the late 1930s, said Bob Snelson, water and sewer director for the Marietta Board of Lights and Water.
The new line will double in width from 6 inches to 12, and will be made of ductile iron in place of the old cast iron pipe. PBS&J is being paid $74,360 for design and inspection of the line. KM Davis will install it at a cost of $424,252.
Reardon wondered why the new water line couldn’t be placed behind the buildings rather than in front for less disruption, but Snelson said that would eliminate fire hydrants from the Square. It would also require the city to obtaining easements, which would drive up the cost, Snelson said.
After the water line is replaced, brick crosswalks will be installed, Bruton said. The city has paid Arcadis $100,730 for the design of the crosswalks. Construction by Hemma will cost $350,000.
Reardon recalled when the city put in brick sidewalks on the Square two decades ago.
“It was a pain, but it was fairly quick,” he said.
The city will also consolidate several signs onto individual poles to eliminate sign clutter, Conn said. The street resurfacing will cost about $300,000, he said.
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is one of the finest restaurants in Marietta. He
can say just about anything he wants and I'll continue eating there. I just hope the city is quicker and neater with the job than the one they did on Kennesaw Avenue.
Also why would you pay someone to "design" the brick pathways? It is not complicated. Bricks costs less than $1 a piece, so where does the $350,000 costs come from? Either they are getting ripped off of the article is not including some of the upgrades.
Paint would be cheaper, however, I understand the desire for the square to have more attractive elements to it.
Hey knuckleheads, ever heard of PAINT? It's a whole lot cheaper and you don't have to tear up perfectly good asphalt to apply it. DUMB, DUMBER, DUMBEST!!!
Well, there goes yet another half million dollars of tax money wasted!