Brighton City Council Thursday night approved spending $114,000 for two projects involving upgrades in the underground utilities of several streets.

The funds will be used on North Second St. and in the Northwest neighborhood. According to City Manager Nate Geinzer, the Second St. utility project will involve installing a larger sanitary sewer line to replace the inadequate 8-inch sewer line which currently serves the area, and increasing the size of the 6-inch water main to improve water pressure and flow.

The design also includes wider, 5-feet sidewalks, although the original suggestion for bike lanes was removed because of cost considerations. The street is also earmarked for resurfacing because it will have to be torn up to make way for the underground utility improvements. The work is being done primarily for a couple of development projects, one of which is pending at this time.

The other will result in removal of existing duplex housing in an area bounded by Second, Center and Walnut streets to make way for a condominium development. The City Planning Commission has already given preliminary PUD approval for that project.

A time frame on the northwest neighborhood project is undetermined at this time because funding is not yet available for the ultimate goal of providing curb and gutter on the affected streets, which would also necessitate putting in new pavement. The utilities project will encompass not only the northwest neighborhood but also several streets east of Second, including First, Walnut, Chestnut, and Center. Approved Thursday night was preliminary design and engineering work including storm sewers.

Geinzer says the Second St. utilities project will take place in the spring. The Downtown Development Authority has agreed to pay for the Second St. portion and the city will pay for the northwest neighborhood project through the utilities fund and the general fund.(TT)