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Chardon gears up for summer road projects
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - March 24, 2010)
Chardon gears up for summer road projects
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Although it's not going to be the busiest of construction seasons, Chardon is planning enough projects to keep motorists on their toes.
Three projects, including two with major work, are on tap as spring arrives. All projects are expected to be concluded over one construction season.
Gayland Moore, director of public service, said the city is ready to proceed with a project that was held up after a contractor walked out on sanitary-sewer work two years ago. The repaving was expected to follow the sewer work but got pushed back after the city delayed the sewer work until last year with a new contractor.
The project may be the least disruptive of those planned for this year. Mr. Moore said the repaving will proceed from Water Street (Route 6) south along Wilson Mills Road to the city's corporation limit at Thwing Road.
During the project, he said, there will be some delays as traffic will be maintained in both directions. Traffic controls are necessary because of the limited sight distance along the road, he said.
One project that appears to be ready to begin by spring is a realignment of Fifth Avenue and Center Street (Route 44).
Mr. Moore said although lanes along Fifth Avenue likely will have to be closed temporarily during the project, officials expect that two-way traffic can be maintained through most of the construction.
He said the "tricky" part will be providing access for delivery trucks to the grocery store, which is at the northeast corner of the intersection being realigned. He said there may be times when trucks will have to be detoured to Washington Street to reach the eastern most drive of the grocery store on Fifth Avenue. If such detours become necessary, he said, signs will be posted to direct trucks.
The project, Mr. Moore said, will involve shifting Fifth Avenue north toward the parking lot of the grocery store. The shifting will allow the two roads to be brought together in a perpendicular manner, rather than the acute angles at which they now meet, Mr. Moore said.
Trucks have a difficult time attempting to make a right turn from Center Street onto Fifth Avenue. He said trucks often jump the curb, causing damage to the curb. He said the new alignment will make the intersection safer for trucks and cars.
The Fifth Avenue project has been awarded federal funding of up to $446,193. Although the project is an 80 percent and 20 percent split, with the city responsible for 20 percent of the funding, Mr. Moore said, the city's costs actually may exceed the 20 percent of the federal funding. He said the city is responsible for certain aspects of the project not covered under the federal funding.
Also, he said, certain limits have been placed on federal money for various aspects of the project. If the costs for one part of the project exceed the maximum allocation of federal funds, the city is responsible for picking up the excess costs, Mr. Moore said.
The contract, let by the state, called for a March start, but no pre-construction meeting has been held to begin the start, he said.
The final project on Downing Drive, although expected to go ahead this year, is dependent on the city having the money, which will be determined at budget hearings this month. Mr. Moore said the estimated nearly $1 million project is intended to upgrade sanitary and storm sewers. He said the project has yet to be bid.
The project will proceed from a cul de sac on Downing Drive to Maple Avenue, with a short replacement of the sewer also being done along Maple Avenue, he said.
The challenge for officials is that much of the sewer work is in the center of the roadway, Mr. Moore said. Rerouting of traffic is expected during the project because of the location of the lines and the need for road closures while work progresses.
He said access to residences there will be maintained.
Mr. Moore said another problem is that some of the storm sewers run through residential driveway aprons. He said the city is planning to notify residents of that work. He said residents likely will have limited access to their driveways when work is being done in front of their homes, but the city will work with them to lessen the inconveniences.
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