The renovated fountain at Marietta's Ohio River Levee is starting to take shape near Greene and Front streets. The much larger version, which retains the center column from the fountain it replaces, is part of a large renovation of the levee. Work on the levee is expected to be completed by September. (Photo by Art Smith)

MARIETTA — Several major infrastructure projects in Marietta are moving forward this summer, with work ranging from the city’s levee project to street paving, sewer improvements and the new water treatment plant, Mayor Josh Schlicher said.

Schlicher said the Marietta levee project is in the final major construction phase, with crews focused on the pavilion area, relocation of the fountain, ramp work, bike path restoration and other concrete work. The city also added sewer work near the Green and Front streets intersection while the area is already under construction.

“We don’t want to have to do it again later,” Schlicher said.

The mayor said the city’s goal is to have the main work completed in time for the Ohio River Sternwheel Festival, with touch-ups and punch-list items expected to continue afterward and conclude in October.

Schlicher said there have been some design issues, including a recent issue involving a retaining wall cap, columns and fence railing, but he said the project has not faced major delays or material shortages.

An uneven section of brick street along Putnam Street rises in a wave-like pattern in Marietta in February. (File photo)

“All the brick are here,” he said. “We’re not waiting on material production or anything like that.”

The city also has applied for grants for additional work on Green, Second and Ohio streets and other nearby areas, Schlicher said. Some of the work could involve brick street repairs, drainage improvements, pedestrian crossings, lighting and safety upgrades.

Schlicher said the city also may reconsider whether some temporary traffic changes near Second Street should remain in place, including angle parking between Green and Ohio streets.

“The intention at first was to go back to normal operation,” he said. “But we may be rethinking some of that.”

On Maple Street Extension, Schlicher said the city has hired Global Stabilization Inc. for a roughly $180,000 stabilization project. He said the company will handle engineering and construction as one package.

A section of a stone retaining wall against Maple Street Extension has broken and crumbled off of Harmar Hill in Marietta. The barricade will be replaced by a new steel guardrail while the historical stone will be stored by the city. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

Work is expected to begin after the Fourth of July holiday, Schlicher said. The road already has been closed for public safety, and he said the project is not expected to require additional road closures or detours. Nearby residents may hear noise or feel vibrations from the work.

Schlicher said drainage problems and long-term hillside movement contributed to the issues on Maple Street Extension. Crews also plan to add curbing to help redirect water. The historic stone wall in the area will be removed, but the city plans to save the stone. Modern guardrail will be installed in its place.

The city’s water treatment plant project also remains on track, Schlicher said. He said the project is expected to be completed in summer 2027, but the city hopes to begin producing water through the new plant as early as September.

That would allow the city to test the new facility while still relying on the existing 1930s-era plant for backup, he said. Once the new plant is fully operational, the old plant will be demolished.

Schlicher said new EPA requirements have added about $6 million in potential work to the project. The changes involve added equipment, piping and mechanical systems, but he said the city does not expect to need a building expansion.

The mayor said the city is considering using settlement money connected to C8 contamination to help pay for that portion of the project. Council has authorized a change order with Strand Associates to incorporate the needed changes into the design, he said.

Schlicher also discussed a proposed bike path connector that would extend from the Indian Acres terminus through city property and toward the Devola area, eventually connecting with facilities now managed by the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District. He said a private donor has pledged about $300,000 toward the project, which is expected to cost about $3.5 million if fully funded.

The rest of the money would come through grants, Schlicher said, meaning the project would not require a general fund contribution if the funding plan is successful.

Street work will be one of the most visible areas of city activity this year, Schlicher said. He said Marietta plans about $3 million in paving and street maintenance, including traditional paving, crack sealing and slurry seal treatments.

Schlicher said the city has used pavement management data to rate streets and plan work more systematically. The city’s overall street rating is about 67 out of 100, he said, but some streets are in much worse condition.

The city plans to touch about a third of its streets this year with paving or alternate surface treatments, he said. More than half of city streets could see some level of work, including crack sealing, pothole repairs or other maintenance.

Areas expected to see surface treatments include parts of Harmar Hill and North Hills, while Colgate Drive is expected to be paved from Glendale Road to Sunset Lane, Schlicher said. The city also plans to contract out centerline painting because it no longer has a centerline striping machine.

Major future street projects include Acme Street, which Schlicher said is expected to be rebuilt next year with new curb, gutter, drainage, pavement, a water line and sewer improvements. Fort Harmar Drive also is being discussed with the Ohio Department of Transportation for paving in the next two years, he said.

Putnam Street is expected to be the city’s major brick street repair project, Schlicher said. The work, estimated at about $500,000, would include spot repairs from Fifth Street to Front Street and new stamped-concrete crosswalks to improve accessibility and pedestrian safety. The project is expected to go out to bid in July.

Schlicher said Butler Street remains a future project, but its scope could change if the city receives federal grant funding. A previous concept to close part of Butler Street and incorporate it into the Marietta College campus has not moved forward recently, he said.

The mayor also said the city is continuing sewer system work, including infiltration and inflow projects in Colegate and Norwood. Crews are cleaning and inspecting sewer lines, using camera systems to determine which lines can be lined, which can remain in service and which need replacement.

Schlicher said the city is moving toward a more data-driven maintenance system, including GIS mapping for wastewater, water, streets, parks and other infrastructure. He said the goal is to move away from waiting until systems fail before repairing them.

“We have been coming up with a complete plan of how to do this,” he said. “It just takes time to do it all.”