diggin’ in the dirt

    HARLAN -- Work officially has begun on the development project in south Harlan, soon to be home to the new, larger Bomgaars store, the Buck Snort Restaurant and Harlan Dental.
    Local utility crews began digging a trench to lower the utilities in the berm along Highway 59.  The lines are being buried lower so the berm can be taken down to level.  An access road will then be constructed to the new business location just south of the Settle Inn Motel.
    Cooperative weather set in this week to allow for crews to begin the work.  The entire project could take a year.
    The City of Harlan’s costs for the project are estimated at roughly $196,000, and will include a new access road off of Highway 59 for the development, as well as some grading and storm sewer work off of the highway and off of Ridgeway Drive from the north.  Easements are being developed from local property owners for the storm sewer on the north end of the project.
    Besides the city’s portion, the city council has signed off on performance agreements with the Harlan Municipal Utilities for not more than $110,000, and Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company/Iowa Communications Network for up to $50,000 to lower the utilities in the berm along Highway 59 so that berm can be leveled.  The city is paying the entities for their costs to drill those utility lines deeper so the berm can be lowered.
    Harlan City Administrator Gene Gettys, Jr. said lowering the berm will allow for better site distance along that corridor.