Work on the project was started in June 2024 and was completed in November 2024 on South 12th Street, according to Fort Dodge City Engineer Austin Morrow. In that phase of the storm sewer project, 42-inch diameter storm sewers were placed from South 10th Street near the former Fair Oaks Middle School to Second Avenue South near 12th Street, along with water main replacement and pavement reconstruction along the same route.

This portion of the project, which begins Monday, includes installation of 36-inch diameter storm sewers from the north side of the roundabout to Central Avenue and then 24-inch diameter storm sewer along Central Avenue to 13th Street.

“The project also includes water main replacement at each of the intersections, pavement reconstruction, sidewalk reconstruction, and other associated improvements,” said Morrow.

According to Morrow, the overall downtown storm sewer project started in 2021 with phase one work which included installation of 48- to 60-inch diameter storm sewers beginning with the outlet into the creek along Mason Memorial Drive and running north across Kenyon Road before tying into an existing 42-inch line along the north side of the Fair Oaks property. That portion of the project was completed in the fall of 2021.

“Historically, these areas of town have experienced flooding during heavy rain events,” said Morrow. “The downtown improvements — phase one and two — are an important upgrade to the storm sewers systems capacity in this area to be able to handle the large events that have caused flooding. These projects also set up future expansion of the system to address other potential flood prone areas.”

The second phase of the project, which begins Monday, will close traffic in different areas with 12th Street and Central Avenue being temporarily closed. According to Morrow, once work in this intersection is complete, it will reopen and work will then continue east along Central Avenue to the 13th Street intersection which will then close.