Street repairs set to begin

Long-awaited street repairs in Fairfield should get under way next month.

Engineer Jerry Long of French-Reneker Associates Inc. said this summer?s frequent rain has held up contractors. He expects work on the city?s 15-block street reconstruction project to begin July 21 with Lowe Avenue between Second and Fourth streets.

This section of Lowe Avenue will be first on Shipley Contracting Corp.?s docket because the street was already torn up for work on a water main ? the street?s surface has been temporarily covered with rock.

Third Street from Harrison Avenue to Madison Avenue will be the second section of street reconstructed because of work on a sewer line. Long estimated Cross Iron Excavating Inc. has completed approximately 45 percent of the sewer replacement although the project is roughly three weeks behind schedule.

The remaining streets slated for reconstruction include Lowe Avenue from Main Street to C Street, Cromwell Street from Burlington Avenue to Briggs Avenue, Madison Avenue from Sixth Street to Fourth Street and Briggs Avenue from Forest Drive to Morgan Street. Shipley Contracting has until Nov. 12 to complete the work.

The preconstruction meeting with Norris Asphalt Paving Co. for resurfacing 16th Street from Burlington Avenue to Grimes Avenue, Washington Avenue from Main Street to B Street and Court Street from Washington Avenue to Burlington Avenue took place this morning.

As of Thursday, Long did not expect the resurfacing work to get under way until late this summer. However, Royale Construction, the project?s patching contractor, has already completed about half of its work. Long explained Royale was able to begin work early here due to rain delays at the company?s other worksites.

For the complete article, see the Friday, June 25, 2010, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.