SALEM — The engineer on the Snyder Road sewer line project said Thursday that South Ellsworth Avenue should reopen to traffic next week.

Jon Vollnogle of Howells & Baird updated Salem Utilities Commission members on the status of the project that started last fall on Newgarden Avenue and is continuing to Snyder Road.

He said the work on the section on South Ellsworth Avenue is about complete and the road should be able to open Tuesday morning, barring any issues. The road has been closed for an extended time near the railroad tracks, with some of the work delayed after a gas line was hit and had to be repaired.

Vollnogle said a revised easement had to be sought from Ohio Edison in the past week to reroute the sewer line south of the intended route after the contractor Marucci & Gaffney discovered a high voltage concrete transfer bank that had not been identified as being there by Ohio Edison on electric company property. The cables and wires were directly where the sewer line was going to go.

He said it was a good thing the cabling was found before getting damaged since it did not show on Ohio Edison’s mapping and came as a surprise.

Ohio Edison approved the submitted reroute plan and Vollnogle said the response from both Ohio Edison and the contractor was excellent. The discovery caused a two-week delay in work on the main line, but the contractor was able to do other work at the site.

The commission also heard an update on Phase 2 improvements at the wastewater treatment plant on Pennsylvania Avenue, learning that personnel have moved into the new administration building.

For the proposed Phase 3 project at the wastewater treatment plant, commission members talked about the presentation done last week by Bob Schreiner of Burgess & Niple. Commission Vice Chairman Randy Malmsberry said they’ll have to borrow money no matter what they decide to do and suggested it may be a good idea to include dryer equipment for the sludge in the plans.

Commission Chairman Bob Hodgson agreed they need to be open to that discussion, even though it will increase the cost, noting efficiency of the plant would be increased and the plant would produce a better class of sludge that in the long run could save money on sludge disposal.

In other business, the commission received an update on the foundry sand site on Pennsylvania Avenue and a couple of possible water line replacement projects, between state Route 14 and Pennsylvania Avenue and to connect Bricker Lane with Orchard Bend. Discussion on the water line projects was tabled.

The next meeting of the commission will be 4 p.m. Oct. 15.

mgreier@salemnews.net