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Sewer replacement project planned for four streets in the St. Leo's area

ByMary Gottschalk

Replacement of sanitary sewer lines along four streets in the St. Leo's neighborhood started Oct. 30.

"The sewers are in bad shape," says Sam Aguirre, project manager for the city of San Jose.

The pipes are about 70 years old, and many are cracked, he says.

New pipes will be installed along W. San Fernando between Race Street and almost to Cleaves Avenue and on Sunol Street, S. Keeble and S. Morrison avenues between The Alameda and W. San Fernando.

Aguirre says the city is working with the contractor, Fermin Sierra Construction, to minimize disruption to residents along the affected streets.

There will be some periods of no parking, but Aguirre expects those periods to be brief, with each street completed within three weeks.

Work will take place between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, with no work on weekends or legal holidays.

Some sewer manholes will also be replaced.

Any work involving The Alameda will be done between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., as it is a state highway.

Aguirre made a presentation on the project at the Oct. 19 meeting of The Alameda Business Association, resulting in a verbal protest by Bill Mundy, owner of Schurra's Candy Factory at 840 The Alameda.

"We put up with Long's construction all spring, through Easter, and now we have to put with this? This is going to kill us," Mundy says.

Schurra's customers must frequently park on side streets, including Sunol, because parking along The Alameda is so limited.

Aguirre says he will consult with the contractor to see if work on Sunol can be done before Thanksgiving.

The entire project is expected to be completed by mid-December.