Ground Finally Broken for Geneseo Main Street Big Dig

GENESEO – The Main Street Project has officially broken ground with the installation of a manhole for the sewer line between 8 and 4 Main Street.

The construction crew with Nardozzi Paving dug a 20 foot hole in about 45 minutes in preparation for sewer work that will give future crews access to the sewer line directly from the surface instead of from the storm drain outside of 8 Main Street.

Equipment and the segments of manhole could be seen near the courthouse at 2 Court Street.

A large Deere 160D excavator waits by the bear fountain for the Main Street water line replacement and resurfacing phase of the project.

The plan is to dig up the northbound lane of Main Street from the bear fountain to North Street, replacing 6 and 8 inch water main, which is older than the Village itself, with 12 inch water main.

Sewer work fixes issues where there is mixing between sanitary and storm water. The new water main will go in about 8 feet to the West of the existing pipe in the Northbound lane of Main Street.

Crews were especially careful not to disturb the historic underground railroad tunnel that extends from the intersection of Rte. 63 to the basement of 5 Main Street, passing under several residences and part of the SUNY Campus.

PHOTO CAPTION: Cover – Nardozzi crewmembers locating the sewer line. Inset top – The excavator and hole. Inset bottom – A glimpse of the underground railroad tunnel. (Photo/Conrad Baker)

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