WL Board of Works approves winter preparations, project developments

As temperatures begin to drop in central Indiana, the West Lafayette Board of Public Works and Safety is preparing to combat worsening road conditions while moving ahead with large-scale projects around the city.

The board convened Tuesday morning at Margerum City Hall to continue preparations for winter conditions and rough weather.

A request to purchase 4,500 gallons of a rock salt and liquid de-icer, Ice B’ Gone Magic, for $12,915 was approved by the board.

The board also approved a $11,616 quote from Promised Land Concrete Construction to repair three concrete roadway slabs on Westmoreland Drive. City Engineer Scott Chandler said that these repairs are necessary as cold temperatures approach to prevent water infiltration beneath the slabs.

The board unanimously approved a memo by West Lafayette Water Resource Recovery Facility Utility Director David Henderson for a study aiming to improve the combined sewer outfall along DeHart Street. Henderson said that ensuring the sewer outfall could capture and fill with water fast enough was the purpose of the study.

“Basically, we can’t fill the tunnel as fast as we need to, and we’re looking at options through this study on how to tweak that,” Henderson said.

Developing projects

The board is also moving ahead with the development of major projects around West Lafayette.

Board members released bids for building services for ongoing Public Safety Center and Fire Station No. 3 renovation projects. Reliance Engineers, an Indianapolis firm, proposed $184,000 for the project. A Kentucky based firm, Todd Yates Facility Commission Group, also made bids. HVAC commissioning could cost an additional $46,080.

Dodge Street is facing flagged westbound closure from Nov. 11 to Dec. 11 as part of ongoing construction at the Stewart Cooperative at 800 Northwestern Ave. Allen Street will also be closed at its intersection with Dodge Street from Nov. 11-25 for a water main installation. Construction Inspector Nathan Besse said the new road closure plan will have minimal impact on traffic.

Also beginning Wednesday, the southbound lane of Yeager Road will face intermittent closures from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the construction of two new entrances to the under-construction SK hynix semiconductor plant. While vehicle traffic will be rerouted into a central lane, pedestrian traffic will be restricted.

Margerum City Hall will be closed Wednesday for Veterans Day. The Board of Works will reconvene at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 17.