Spring is in the air, and nicer weather means contractors can spend more time working on projects throughout Meridian.

Hemphill Construction is working south of the interstate and east of 49th Avenue on a project to replace a 54-inch sewer line that feeds into the city’s south wastewater treatment plant. The project, which is expected to cost about $3.4 million, is one of three contracts the city has awarded to Hemphill.

The Florence-based contractor is also leading efforts on the second phase of the Highway 80 trunk line project, which is estimated to cost roughly $1 million, and has a $9.7 million annual term bid with the city for sewer and stormwater repairs. Hemphill is currently working to address water and sewer issues in the medical district under work order one of the term bid.

All three projects are a part of the city’s efforts to comply with the federal EPA consent decree to address sanitary sewer overflows and are being funded with consent decree funds. Some stormwater repairs in the medical district, which do not qualify for consent decree funds, are being paid out of American Rescue Plan Act Funds.

Also ongoing in Meridian is an effort to address problems with the 22nd Avenue bridge. The bridge was damaged during construction efforts on the Sela Ward Parkway revitalization project and needs to be fixed.

In March, the City Council, at the recommendation of public works staff, approved a $39,000 contract with Garver Inc. to handle the design and engineering of a project to correct problems with the bridge.

At the time, Assistant Public Works Director Mike Van Zandt explained the seals on the bridge, which keep water from penetrating the bridge and causing damage, need to be replaced. Garver, he said, is who the state uses for complex bridge projects, and the 22nd Avenue bridge is certainly a complex bridge.

On Tuesday, however, Van Zandt said the city and Garver have not been able to agree on a contract, and a new engineer needs to be selected. Van Zandt said Engineering Plus, which has previously worked with the city and acts as the county engineer for Lauderdale County in addition to other engineering services, is available to take over the project and move it forward.

On another project, a long-awaited agreement between the City of Meridian and Kansas City Southern Railroad has finally been reached, Van Zandt told the council. Legal representatives from both the railroad and city have been working for several months to set a contract for repairs to the 29th Avenue railroad crossing.

Van Zandt said the city is agreeing to put up $175,000 to help cover costs, but the railroad is responsible for the engineering, design and construction of the crossing.

“The entire railroad right-of-way will be dug out and replaced,” he said.

A timeline for the project will be developed by KCS, Van Zandt said, along with a detour route for vehicles while the project is underway.

As contractors work to build up the city’s infrastructure, others are working to tear down blighted properties and remove eyesores from neighborhoods. Ed Skipper, who serves as administrative assistant to the mayor, said Cullum Construction was making steady progress on a list of 27 condemned structures to be torn down.

Skipper said 15 of the structures had already been demolished, with 12 buildings remaining. The $148,239 contract gave workers until the end of May to finish, he said, and the project seems to be on track to meet that deadline.