Court Street closure looming as contractor works to complete major water main replacement, connections in downtown Beatrice
BEATRICE – The toughest part of a major utility improvement this summer in Beatrice is about to begin.
City officials have sent a letter to downtown businesses stating that Court Street between Second and Seventh Streets will be closed, starting next Tuesday….to allow major water main replacement work to be done…possibly stretching through October.
That doesn’t sit well with one local restaurant owner along the street, Kate Ratigan…who operates the Black Crow.
"There was never any discussion about six weeks...a month and a half, of being closed. This is the first I've heard of it...and I don't know who's decision this was, but the city council, I don't think was even aware of it when the letter went out....because the city council members I talked to did not know about the letter. I think this is a bad idea...and I don't understand why there's such a tone deafness to how these decisions affect the people downtown. You can't just expect people to have no access for the public to their business for a month-and-a-half. If the contractor is behind, there's a provision in the contract that says they have a thousand-dollar a day of damages. Are we protecting the contractor?"
Ratigan spoke to the city council during the public forum section, which doesn’t allow for immediate response from city officials.
After Monday night’s meeting, officials said the decision to close the street was based primarily on ensuring worker safety….and recognizing that several additional water taps will have to be connected in the more tightly-packed downtown area….when compared with work that’s gone on in residential areas.
Officials say it will also speed up construction to avoid work going on during the holiday season in the downtown area. During the Court Street closure between Second and Seventh Streets, westbound traffic will be routed to Ella Street….and eastbound traffic will be routed to Market Street.
