California Construction News staff writer
Construction has started to replace miles of outdated water and sewer lines in Fresno’s downtown and Chinatown districts, a critical infrastructure upgrade that city officials say is essential to support the city’s vision of adding up to 10,000 new residents to the area.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer called the planned residential growth a “tipping point” for revitalizing downtown and attracting more businesses and nightlife outside of regular work hours. “When we get to 10,000 people living downtown, that will be the momentum we need to continue the direction we want,” Dyer said Wednesday.
Earlier this year, the Fresno City Council awarded an $18.8 million contract to Floyd Johnston Construction of Clovis to replace approximately 2.7 miles of water mains and over a mile of sewer lines. The work will take place in an area bordered by Fresno, M, and E streets and Cesar Chavez Boulevard. With trenching, excavation, and pavement restoration, the total cost of the project will rise to $22 million.
“People in northeast Fresno are probably not going to bypass River Park or other establishments to come downtown,” Dyer said. “We need people living here — people who will live, work, shop, and play in the downtown and Chinatown area. For that, we need housing.”
Many of the water and sewer pipes being replaced are more than 90 years old, with some dating back to the 1890s. These aging pipes are too small and unreliable to meet the needs of the growing population the city hopes to attract. Brock Buche, Fresno’s public utilities director, said upgrading the infrastructure is necessary for the transition of the area from low-rise buildings to high-rise residential and commercial structures. “These facilities need higher water demand uses,” Buche explained.
The project is being funded through the first $50 million installment of a $250 million infrastructure grant awarded to Fresno by the state of California. Governor Gavin Newsom pledged the grant last year, but the two subsequent installments of $100 million each have been delayed due to budget issues in Sacramento.
The water and sewer line replacements are just one part of the city’s broader efforts to revitalize downtown Fresno and make it a more desirable place to live, work, and play. With these upgrades, officials hope to lay the foundation for the next phase of housing development, including thousands of new homes for residents in the coming years.
