CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On Monday construction crews began a $1.6 million project to replace the City of Portland's main wastewater line.
The current pipe is said to be over seven decades old in spots and is simply approaching the end of its life.
Orange construction signs are already in place as that work gets underway at Highway 181 and West Broadway Boulevard.
Crews have their work cut out for them, they'll need to bore under 181, from one side to the other, all while traffic on the highway and frontage roads continue to flow.
"From the eastern side of the city to over to the area we are at right now which is at the wastewater treatment plant on the westside," Director of Portland Public Works Kenneth Banks said.
The replacement project targets a 15-inch line that city leaders say handles about 70-75 percent of the entire city's wastewater, after questions arose over its stability.
"We assessed this pipe, to my knowledge, for the first time in its existence in April of this year, and then we got an engineering report from that assessment that gave us some concerns about the overall integrity of the pipe," Banks said.
He said the line cannot simply be turned off during the construction which means the old line will remain in use until the new one is completed.
It will then be switched over.
The job is tricky because it will mean digging under Highway 181.
"It will involve us in installing a 24-inch steel casing under Highway 181," Banks said. "It's going to be about a 600-foot run. This is a gravity line and so we have to keep it exactly on the right level in order to make it function properly."
Banks said the new pipe will last at least 60-80 years.
He explained most folks won't know the construction is going on, however there will be two small areas of West Broadway on both sides of the highway that will be closed where they will start digging.
"We're trying to minimize the foot print there as much as possible, but we do have limitations with the installation of the pipe," Banks said.
Detour signs have been posted.
Nearby businesses and schools have been notified.
G-PISD told 3NEWS, "G-PISD has notified our Transportation team of the City of Portland's temporary closure at West Broadway, ensuring our bus routes will run as scheduled with minimal delays. The district also sent notice to all families and staff this afternoon. We are glad to partner with the City to share this news and support their effort to see this project through to completion in the Spring."
Construction is expected to last around three months.