Modesto’s Roosevelt Park, closed since 2018 for $7.3M project, should reopen soon
The city expects to reopen Roosevelt Park in late August, almost two years after closing the popular recreation spot in central Modesto for a $7.3 million storm-water project that reduces flooding on nearby streets and improves the park as well.
The project was expected to be completed in December 2019. The city said the project has taken longer because of problems putting in the underground pipes that carry rainwater from the streets to the park’s underground basin and with some of the park’s landscaping work.
The project included putting in the basin, which will hold storm water that once flowed into the city’s sewer system and could overwhelm it during storms. The storm water eventually will seep into the aquifer from the basin, helping replenish the city’s groundwater.
A temporary chain-link fence rings the park, which is along West Orangeburg Avenue and next to the Virginia Trail, though the four tennis courts are open with access from the trail. The park is beautiful, with new grass and trees and the planting of about 1,750 plants and shrubs. The city also put in a new vandal-resistant bathroom, picnic tables, benches and lighting and replaced the old walking path with a new one.
City officials said despite the delay, the project is within its budget. Officials said the project is being paid for through a $4.6 million state grant, with the rest coming from the city’s waste-water fund.
Crews dug up the grass field in the park to put in the basin and then planted new grass over it. City officials say the storm water will be filtered to remove solids, oil and grease before reaching the aquifer. The project will collect storm water in an area bordered by Orangeburg to the south, College Avenue to the west, Briggsmore Avenue to the north and the Virginia Trail to east.
Streets in worse shape than expected
City officials say the project took longer because nearby streets were in worse shape than expected. That meant it took more work to repair them after digging them up to put in the underground pipes. Crews also had more work than expected getting the dirt as compacted as needed before repairing the streets. The dirt needs to be solid so it does not settle and damage the streets.
Crews also had to do more work on the park’s new irrigation system and putting in mulch. City officials say the period to make sure the landscaping is in good shape before people use the park ends in August. And 16 trees that were damaged during construction need to be removed before the park reopens because the trees are a safety hazard. The city will replace them.
Modesto made the same storm-water improvements at Garrison Park a few years ago. The city also plans to do projects at Pike and Everett parks. The projects entail stopping storm water from entering the sewer system through what are called cross connections, something the state wants, and sending it to underground basins. The city has had as many as 63 cross connections, and the Roosevelt project removed six of them.
This story was originally published July 23, 2020 at 4:30 AM.
