Wilson Street project that took a year longer than expected ‘substantially completed’

If Fredonia residents, especially those living on North Wilson Street, need a reason to celebrate, it’s that a road and sewer project that has taken twice as long as expected is nearly finished.

“It’s substantially completed,” Director of Public Works Director Roger Strohm said this week, referring to the reconstruction of a short stretch of North Wilson Street from Fredonia Avenue to Martin Drive. “All we have left to do is install the mailboxes.”

The project, which included the installation of new sewer and water mains, sewer laterals and sidewalk on the east side of the street as well as road reconstruction, began in the spring of 2021.

The work was to be completed that year, but slower-than-expected progress led to the decision to extend the deadline to this year.

“We didn’t want to rush the work and have the street torn up in winter,” Strohm said.

The project resumed this spring and was to be completed by the end of June, but that deadline was not met because of delays caused by a subcontractor, Strohm said.

“For the most, residents there were pretty understanding,” Strohm said.

Last year, the village received good news that the project would cost 5.6% less than expected when the Village Board accepted low bids of $361,502 for the street reconstruction and $94,825 for sanitary lateral replacement from Mueller Excavating Inc. of Campbellsport.

The board also accepted a $39,790 bid from Visu-Sewer to line sanitary mains that was 38% less than estimated.

Property owners will be assessed for the laterals, which connect homes to the sewer main, and the village and property owners will split the cost of new sidewalks.

The sidewalk plan was approved by the Village Board in 2019 as a way to fill gaps in village sidewalk and make streets more walkable, especially for schoolchildren.