City will replace Blaine main

A water main recently broke on Blaine Pike.

Portland Board of Works OK’d replacing the unit during a meeting Tuesday.

Doug Jackson, superintendent of the city’s water department, explained that on Aug. 2 the water main located between Western Avenue and 7th Street burst, causing several leaks. About 17 patches have been made since then.

In March, the board of works moved forward with a $2.8 million paving and sidewalk project planned in 2024 for Blaine Pike and other city streets. The project is funded through a Community Crossings grant from Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), with the city contributing a match of $568,758.32. It includes milling and repaving the road from the railroad near Water Street to county road 150 South. A sidewalk will also be added.

“You can’t go replacing water mains just because you’re paving roads,” Jackson said. “It’s not feasible. You just can’t do it.”

But in this case, he said, the city has to take action. The water main could fail at any time, he added.

“If we don’t replace it … we’re going to tear up new pavement,” he said.

City attorney Wes Schemenaur pointed out that with the sudden break, it makes sense to put in a new water main before the paving and sidewalk project, which has been in the works since 2016.

Portland Board of Works selected Watson’s Excavating, which this week started work on the Meridian Street storm sewer project, to install a new main on Blaine Pike between Western Ave. and 7th Street at a cost of $229,050.

Jackson noted the work should be complete within three to four weeks. He pointed out the road will need to be closed during construction.