BRIGHTON — Construction is expected to start late next month on a multimillion-dollar storm sewer project designed to alleviate chronic flooding problems on the north side of town.
    City Utilities Director Jim Landeck said the city, working with the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District plans to start phase I of the North Outfall storm sewer project.
    “This project will resolve flooding issues at the corner of Longs Peak Street and U.S. Highway 85,” he said. “We’re going to be installing a larger diameter storm sewer pipe across U.S. 85.”

    The problem and why this is such a long-awaited fix doesn’t become clear until Brighton gets a heavy summer downpour. Then, it’s quite evident.
    “Right now, storm water floods over the road on Great Western (Road) when we have a good rain,” Landeck said. “The liquor store on the southeast corner of Longs Peak and Highway 85 and Almost Home Hughes Station Apartments have storm water backing up into their property.”
    Landeck said there is an existing storm sewer along Longs Peak but “it’s undersized and can’t do the job.”
    It’s a problem that Ward I councilman Terry Moore didn’t have to hear about from constituents. Moore, executive director of non-profit Almost Home, watched as the complex’s retention pond on the west end of the property became a lake.
    After an August 2005 rainstorm, Moore went outside and shot video and photographs of the aftermath.
    “The water came from both south 85 from the overpass over Bridge Street and from the water coming off of the highway, plus the water from downtown on Main Street from around the VFW and from Hughes Station,” Moore said.
    He said the water never made it far enough to damage the apartments. It did flood part of the Whiskey Barrel Liquor Store.
    “I was having a hard time convincing the city we had an issue. So I shot the video, which I am very glad I did,” Moore said.
    Landeck said the project will be completed in two phases. Phase 1, segment A, which starts in February, is the construction of a drainage channel at the north side of the city’s current wastewater treatment plan. The channel will end at the intersection of Denver Street and U.S. 85. In addition to the channel, it includes the installation of a 78-inch storm sewer line, a 24-inch sanitary sewer line and a 36-inch storm sewer line to the south.
    “The sanitary sewer line will convey household wastewater into Brighton’s sewage treatment plant, and the storm system will convey runoff water, that will be discharged directly into the South Platte River,” Landeck said.
    Motorists will experience some delays and reduced speed limits because the new lines at U.S. 85 will be installed by open cut, Landeck said. He added that all construction work on U.S. 85 will be completed within 75 days, and traffic detour work will be finished in 30 days.
    Phase I A of the project is estimated to cost about $2 million. Phase I B of the project, which has no set timeframe, is the construction of a drainage channel from Denver Street and Highway 85 to the east side of the Fulton-Lateral Ditch. That portion of the project is estimated to cost about $2.2 million.
    Moore said he is hopeful about the city’s planned solution to the chronic flooding problems.
    “We are optimistic that what Urban Drainage and the city has proposed will certainly help the problem and keep our detention pond from being the collecting point,” he said. “Time will tell.”