Duane Hicks
The two local summer roads projects are getting underway in the east end of town.
Makkinga Contracting and Equipment Rentals has begun mobilizing materials at the Mill Road overpass and staging the site, Operations and Facilities manager Travis Rob told council at its regular meeting Monday night.
“The bridge work is planned to start June 11,” Rob noted.
He added temporary traffic controls will be set up sometime prior to then, reducing overpass traffic to one lane.
This is so Makkinga can remove asphalt and concrete curb and gutter in order that come June 11, the subcontractor immediately can get to work on the bridge deck.
“They’re going to be doing half at a time,” Rob explained. “So we’re going to push all of the traffic to one half of the bridge deck while they do the work, then float them back over.”
Pedestrian access also will be maintained throughout the duration of the project.
The entire project will span from just south of Elizabeth Street over the overpass to Lake Road. It involves storm sewer and watermain replacement, as well as road surface reconstruction.
Work on the overpass project is slated to be complete by Oct. 19.
The bulk of the work will be done this year, with a surface course of asphalt to be put down next June–similar to what was done in recent years on Second Street East, the first section of Colonization Road East, and King’s Highway.
The road portion of this project is being 90 percent funded by the provincial “Connecting Link” program.
Meanwhile, Bay City last week started working on the stretch of Third Street East from Williams Avenue to Colonization Road East.
The plan is to dig up the road and replace all of the sewer and water infrastructure, curb and gutter, sidewalk, and road surface which have been in dire need for repair for years.
So far the asphalt surface has been removed up to the Williams Avenue intersection.
The concrete curb and gutter also has been removed up that intersection, noted Rob.
He added the contractor will keep the intersection open for as long as it can. But at some point in the project this summer, it will have to be closed so the contractor can tear up and rebuild that part of the street, as well.
The project does not include the intersection at Colonization Road East, though, Rob stressed.
Temporary water service has been set up and chlorinated, and the town is waiting on test results before putting residents onto the temporary service.
The Third Street East reconstruction is slated to be complete by the end of August.
