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Fire hydrants getting a face lift Fire hydrants require routine
maintenance and upkeep to ensure they are in operation and capable of supplying the fire department with adequate water. In
an effort to provide the firefighters and utilities personnel information about a hydrant at a glance, Grayson Utilities is
color coding all city fire hydrants according to the National Fire Protection Association water supply availability coding.
This is why you will see red hydrants with varying colors on the bonnets (top) and the caps or outlets. Blue and Green colors
indicate the best hydrants. This typically means they are either the newest in the system or they are located on the larger
water mains. These hydrants are capable of flowing over 1000 gallons of water per minute.
Orange and Red colors indicate lower available water supply, less than 1000 gallons per minute and
are usually located in older areas of the city or areas that were developed with undersized water mains. Upgrading water mains
can cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, therefore many older mains remain throughout the city and are replaced as
funds allow.
The average house fire requires about 1000 gallons
per minute to control with larger commercial fires demanding as much as 2500 to 5000 gallons per minute. This is why well
maintained hydrants and a water system are essential to a towns fire protection.
It is expected that this process may take a full year to complete. The flowing of hydrants may cause
discoloration of water in the area being operated, so the process can be slow going to prevent serious disruption to the system
and inconvenience to residents. Residents are reminded that only city utility crews and firefighters may alter or operate
a fire hydrant. The planting of flowers or shrubs, erection of fences or other obstructions or painting by the public is prohibited
by ordinance and may subject violators to a fine. If you have any questions about the hydrant maintenance program, contact
Grayson Utilities at 474-7569.
Main Street Sidewalk ProjectIn 2007, S&S Concrete of Grayson was
contracted by the city council to refurbish the North sidewalk of Main Street near Lansdowne Avenue east to Pomeroy
Avenue and the south side of Main from the Veterans park east to near Pomeroy. The project, with major financial assistance
from the State of Kentucky, has been completed at a cost of less than $200,000. Additional funding through the state Main
Street Renaissance Program has allowed the city to install vintage lighting westerly from Pomeroy on the Northside of
Main. The project has been partially funded through the city's Payroll Tax. In 2009, construction continued on the south
side of Main Street at Hord Street with repairs to improve access to sidewalks by the disabled and to continue the sidewalk
renovation on the south side of Main continuing from Hord Street east to near Pomeroy, including improved access to the
Downtown Merchants parking lot including bleacher-style steps for public activities. 2010 found further extension of renovation
easterly on the south side extending better walks to near Connie's Beauty Shop.
Street Signs Going From GREEN to BLUE In an effort to differentiate between city maintained streets and county maintained roads,
the city will phase out all green signs with Blue as it becomes necessary due to vandalism or the signs become unreadable
with age. It is expected that this process may take 3-5 years to complete.
Currently, the city is also installing larger street signs at intersections along Carol Malone Blvd and Main
Street due to congestion and faster traffic that make it difficult to read the smaller signs, especially for visitors to our
city not familiar with street names.
The city solicits assistance
from its citizens to maintain it signage. Adequate, legible signs are essential in directing emergency services to locations
during times of emergency.
Missing or damaged street signs should be reported
to the street department at 474-0654 or by calling city hall at 474-6651 for repair or replacement.
Park Improvements in Dixie Park area In
June 2008, city council installed basketball goals on a court in the Dixie Park Sub-Division that had long been neglected
and forgotten. Now activity in the vicinity of the park is thriving daily. Further improvements have been completed with
the addition of park benches and picnic tables installed in the fall of 2008. Plans are being made to add a walking track
around the perimeter (approx 1/8 mi) of the park by the summer of 2012.
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