[JoninATX]

Austin City Council to consider East Fifth makeover project

By Ben Wear American-Statesman Staff
Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012

A curbless stretch of East Fifth Street just east of Interstate 35, in a burgeoning night-life district, would get a $5.3 million makeover under a contract that the Austin City Council will consider Thursday.

East Fifth from I-35 to Onion Street would get new water, wastewater and storm sewer lines, and the street would be reconstructed in the year-long project, city of Austin project manager Randy Harvey said Wednesday. In addition, the seven-block stretch, which borders Capital Metro’s MetroRail line on the south and a mix of commercial and residential properties on the north, for the first time would have sidewalks, he said.

The width of those concrete sidewalks would vary, Harvey said. The south walk would be 10 feet wide, except for one small stretch where right-of-way limitations would constrict it to three-and-a-half feet, he said. The north sidewalk would vary from 5 to 12 feet wide.

Some beautification touches are planned, including trees, bushes and grass in some areas. There would also be new street lights, Harvey said, about one per block.

He said the project, if the council gives it the go-ahead, would likely begin Nov. 19, just after the Formula One race weekend. The project should be completed by November 2013, he said.

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/t...makeove/nSgFg/