TA Travel Center waterline on the move – Wise County Messenger

The outlined change to the 12-inch waterline that will service a future TA Travel Center was included in the City of Decatur’s agenda packet.

The Decatur City Council approved rerouting the path of a 12-inch waterline that will serve the future TA Travel Center at U.S. 81/287 and County Road 4127 Monday night. 

The alternate route will add 1,140 feet of pipe to the project that would go around Karl Klement Forward, north of the proposed truck stop. The original pipe path went along the highway frontage in front of the dealership. 

The cost of the change order is $102,000.

Decatur City Manager Nate Mara said the amended route was in the best interest of both current and future property owners and the city. 

“We agreed to foot the cost of that change to go around that site, and that did a couple things for us. It made sure the 12-foot pipe went the full duration of the project, even with the change of direction. In our minds, it allowed for future land use in the area to be a little ahead when it comes to water infrastructure in the ground. So for us it made a lot of sense to come along as a partner here and cover the additional cost of the 1,140 additional feet of pipe.”

The travel center is expected to span 20,000 square feet and is estimated to cost around $10 million to construct. It will be located on the south side of Decatur, just north of U.S. Business 287.

The waterline adjustment would be eligible to be covered through the city’s impact fee fund. However, Mara suggested the city fund the project through previously issued capital, since the State Street waterline project is expected to be under budget. 

The recent move follows a series of water infrastructure projects currently underway in the city. On June 24, the city began the previously referenced State Street water project. The project includes the installation of a 12-inch water line down State Street from Mill Street to Pecan Street along with the installation of 8-inch lines running east off that line down two alleyways on the north and south side of the Downtown Square. Increasing the water line sizes will allow for businesses on the north and south sides of the Downtown Square to install fire suppression systems, and it will also allow for the replacement of a couple of fire hydrants on the square that are out of service.

The city is also set to install a larger waterline at Entegris-POCO Graphite. The council approved an easement and maintenance agreement with POCO Monday night. The city pursued the project on Farm Road 730 and Farm Road 51 to improve stability and water pressure, with infrastructure capable of equipping POCO Graphite with a robust fire suppression system.