In the summer of 2018 the South Carolina Highway Department plans to repave South Broad Street in Clinton from Downtown at Carolina Avenue out to Jacobs Highway (SC 56), at a cost expected to exceed $2 million. Before the new pavement project, the City wants to repairs to water and sewer lines under this portion of South Broad.
Clinton Public Works has experienced multiple leaks and clogs with water and sewer lines on South Broad in the Downtown area. These failures are due to the age of the cast iron water lines and clay sewer pipes. These are deemed to have reached the end of their useful life and are in desperate need of repair. The frequent need to go under the street and make repairs of these lines has reportedly led to numerous potholes along South Broad Street.
A statement from Public Works indicates that while they realize that many of Clinton’s water and sewer lines need repair, they want to complete repair to the lines on South Broad before next summer’s repaving of the street.
Plans are to replace the old 8-inch cast iron water line with an equal or larger size line of new material. During planning, they are to also look to see if it’s possible to move the water line outside the area to be paved. In addition to connecting to other lines this water main now serves, the water portion of this utility work will also connect all intersection side street waterlines with this new main line. Since these side streets are not now connected to the South Broad main line, this should promote better water circulation, flow and pressure in the downtown area.
The project will also include sewer rehabilitation along this stretch of South Broad. During a survey and evaluation phase for this project, the sewers will be cleaned and inspected to determine how to prioritize repairs. A design will then include spot repairs, new trench construction and trenchless construction techniques to ensure the sewers in the area to be paved will not require repair in the foreseeable future. Clinton Utilities does not plan to move the sewer lines from under the paved street.
The utility repair project for South Broad will patch any pavement disturbed in the work, preparing the street for the SCDOT pavement this coming summer.
Realizing residents may have questions about this work, Clinton’s Interim City Manager Dale Satterfield will be in the dining room at Whiteford’s Drive-In this Thursday, November 9th from 3:30 until 5:30 to answer questions anyone may have about the project.
