PITTSBURG, Kan. — Pittsburg Mayor Pam Henderson doesn’t have a wall-size city map with pins stuck in it to track projects, but if she did, there would be pins in every quadrant.

Work begins today on the second phase of the downtown streetscape project after Sprouls Construction Inc. — contractor for the $1.3 million Phase 1 — came in with what Henderson described as “a lower bid by quite a bit.” Officially, it was $140,000 less than the next-lowest bid, and more than $200,000 less than the engineer’s estimate.

Weather, again, will be the key factor in determining when the project begins and when it will end.

Like the first phase, the second phase includes historical lighting, sidewalks lined in brick, and store-front trees, benches and trash cans.

Other work

n Broadway itself will get a face-lift this month when crews begin relaying asphalt on the roadway, finishing up in time for the Oct. 18 Pittsburg State University homecoming parade.

n Rain had been a headache for Pat Clement, director of the Pittsburg Public Library, but she didn’t mind it last week since the historic building’s roof project is complete.

“It’s a big relief,” she said. Mid-America Roofing took off the copper roof and found the source of continued leaks underneath.

n Those who live or work in south Pittsburg are eager for the completion of the hiking and biking trail, which should be done “any day now,” Henderson said. The path connects an existing paved path at Pittsburg State University that ends near the Veterans Memorial on Rouse Avenue to the Mount Carmel area on Centennial. The trail then goes west to Joplin Avenue near Meadowbrook Mall, Ron’s IGA and Community National Bank, then north to PSU’s Brandenburg Stadium.

Improved safety

Pittsburg High School students, parents and teachers, along with everyone else, are happy to see work completed at the intersection of Fourth and Rouse streets.

“It’s pretty much done; just minor things to take care of,” Henderson said. “The good news is we will be adding a protective turn lane after the state (crews) moves out.”

That intersection had earned the distinction of being the most dangerous in Pittsburg and was chosen as the first to widen, Henderson said. The second most dangerous intersection is Fourth and Walnut streets, where construction started a few weeks ago in an attempt to widen it and make it safer.

As for the third most dangerous intersection, 20th Street and Broadway, the mayor said work will have to wait.

“We were eligible for money but turned it down last year,” Henderson said. “We’re looking at it in the future, but we don’t have the matching money needed right now.”