Gardnerville begins second phase of lighting program

The Town of Gardnerville will begin work on the second phase of the Main Street lighting project on Monday. This project will remove and relocate overhead utilities along Main Street (Highway 395) from Mill Street north to the Greater Nevada Credit Union area. The project also includes removing the existing wooden poles and steel light poles on both sides of the street and installing decorative light poles and fixtures in their place.

When completed, Gardnerville will have decorative lighting from Mission Street to the town limit at Church Street.

Gardnerville completed the first phase of Main Street lighting from Mission to Mill streets in 2004.

Phase II is complex, and has taken significant planning efforts over the past 18 months to address design and relocation of utilities, request and receive easements from property owners, prepare contract drawings and specifications, and work to receive authorization from the Nevada Department of Transportation.

The existing overhead electrical utilities, which serve as an interlink between substations in Carson Valley and a main fiber optic cable providing a connection between Carson Valley and Carson City, need to be moved out of the way. Sierra Pacific Power Co. will be installing and replacing utility poles in the area as part of this project, and Charter Communications and Verizon will be moving their lines as well.

Existing utility service and street lighting has to be maintained during construction while utilities are relocated and new lighting installed. New lighting and conduit will need to be installed before the existing poles can be removed, and access for businesses and residents needs to remain open. This all has to be done while working along a highway that is the major route through town.

The work area also has irrigation conveyances, a major sewer line and water lines that require careful attention during construction.

The Town of Gardnerville will be advertising for competitive bids for the installation of underground conduit, light poles and light fixtures, and other ancillary work as soon as the final review of improvement plans are completed by the Nevada Department of Transportation, which is expected soon.

Contract award for this portion of the work by the Gardnerville Town Board is scheduled for March, with all improvements anticipated to be finished in May of this year. A portion of the work may be required to be done at night.

Funding for this major improvement comes from the Town of Gardnerville and a Nevada Department of Transportation Landscape and Aesthetics program match of $500,000. The entire cost is approximately $1.2 to $1.4 million dollars.

For further information, please contact the Town of Gardnerville offices at 782-7134.