WESTOVER — The lead engineer on Westover’s Holland Avenue project told Westover City Council construction will stretch beyond the anticipated June 22 completion date.
“We are not working as fast at night as we had anticipated, so therefore it is slower overall. I think our anticipated date for completion was June 22. I think the last time I told you that I was here and I told you that it was going to go beyond that, and it is,” Thrasher’s Doug Smith said Monday. “I don’t have a real good date on that yet, but they are working with due diligence, so I’m not ready to go beat up anybody over that. They’ve not been slacking. They’ve been working at it hard.”
So far, approximately 1,500 of the 3,200 feet of new storm sewer line has been installed and 700 of the 2,700 feet of new sanitary sewer line is in place.
According to Smith, Blue Gold Development has worked into a less stable area, which has slowed progress. He explained that as soil gives way, the bricks underlying the street go with it. Eventually, all those bricks will be removed, but must be kept by the city due to their historical significance.
“Right now, it’s a tight area. They have run into a little bit of soil now that is not cooperating. The first part of the project, they had good trenches and was working with that. Now we’ve got some banks that are starting to fall in a little bit,” he said.
Conversations continue with the West Virginia Division of Highways regarding the post-project resurfacing plans.
“We know they are going to pave, and I’m trying to get them to rebuild the street. It all depends on if they decide to do it this fall, then they will pave. If they are able to do it next summer, then they’ll put it in their street rebuilding program. We are still talking to them on a regular basis to see where we go with that. It is in their budget to pave this fall.”
Speaking of DOH paving projects, Public Works Director Jason Stinespring said Anderson Excavating will be milling and paving Dunkard Avenue (WV 100) June 11-23.
“That’s from the intersection at Holland, all the way to Granville, so they’re doing the whole thing. If you drive down through there, you’ll actually see some steel plates here and there. They repoured some of the storm drops, too. So, it’s going to be a nice, new road down through there,” he said.
Lastly, Stinespring provided a preliminary summer paving list to members of council.
The list will address a little over 1.5 miles of paving work including a new surface for the city walking trail and the basketball court in Mascioli Park. It will also address portions of New York, Connecticut, Lexington, Cleveland and Hillcrest avenues; Marchand and Commerce drives; and Wheeling and Hartford streets, as well as the unnamed alley off Fairmont Drive between 4th and 5th streets.
Stinespring said he anticipates opening the paving bids around July 7 and work to commence shortly thereafter.
