EDITOR

Brian Justice

A major combined sewer project involving Winchester and Franklin County to accommodate future development is nearing its end with completion expected in one to two months.

Winchester’s part of the project is virtually finished, and Mayor Sean Crabtree extended his thanks on June 9 to motorists and residents who have had their routines temporarily interrupted at times while contractors were working on various segments of the project.

He specifically referred to Bible Crossing Road, where 21,000 linear feet — nearly four miles — of force-main sewer line was installed as part of the project, creating detour routes while work was in-progress.

“I appreciate your patience,” he told the audience at the June 9 City Council meeting. “The sewer project at Bible Crossing Road is about over.”

Crabtree said news about the project nearing its end should be most welcome to those who rely heavily on Bible Crossing Road as a main route.

Jason Allman, Winchester Utilities assistant general manager, said Friday that the county’s final part of the project should be completed soon.

“I would hope that within a month to six weeks, we should be done,” he said, explaining that the time frame is optimistic, but if any snags occur, the project should be completed in two months.

The city and county agreed in 2022 to join forces in a $10.675 million combined effort to improve the area sewer system to accommodate future industrial and residential growth.

Former County Mayor David Alexander said at the outset of the project that getting sewer service to 134 acres — formerly owned by Austin and Sadie Moon, near Baxter Lane and Modena Road on the east side of Highway 64 — for industrial development is long overdue.

“This is the big thing we’ve really needed,” he said, adding that the county has lost out on being able to sell the property to industries or manufacturers because not having sewer service has been a deal-breaker.

Alexander had said the steps being taken were “transformational.”

“This truly is a watershed event because it opens up an entirely new area for development,” he said, adding that the east side of Highway 64 can be expanded industrially and residentially.

Alexander had said that when the property is sold, there could be between 100 and 300 new employees with an overall salary base in the millions that would be a tremendous boost to the county’s economy.

He added that many would live and work in Franklin County and buy homes and other products that would have far-reaching, beneficial economic effects.

Allman had said that Winchester has experienced a major increase in development in recent years, and an expanded sewer line to serve the Twin Creeks subdivision has nearly reached capacity.

Winchester committed to paying up to $6.36 million for the city’s part of the sewer improvements.

The city’s investment includes upgrading the Mountain View lift station and installing the force-main sewer line along Bible Crossing Road.

Winchester has been in charge of administering the project.

The county agreed to provide up to $4.315 million, including upgrading the Modena lift station, $750,000; upsizing a force main, $873,000; extending a 10-inch gravity sewer line 2,000 linear feet to the property and under Highway 64, $700,000; and upsizing an interceptor, $1.692 million.

The county’s share of the money is from the $8.2 million it received in American Rescue Plan funds.

Winchester also received $2.407 million from the program, which former Mayor Terry Harrell had said would be used to fund the city’s part of the sewer expansion.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, also called the COVID-19 Stimulus Package, was a $1.9 trillion economic-stimulus bill passed by Congress to speed up the United States’ recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent recession.