City street, bridge projects begin

“That project will get started within the next week or two weeks,” said Public Works Director Clayton Mills. “It will be open for the most part. They are going to try to work one lane at a time while doing the base repairs. Both roads will be closed at some point to replace some drainage pipe.”

Like the recently completed Proper Street project, the Norman Road and Gaines Road work is more involved than just a resurfacing project. The work includes base repairs in areas where the road bed is not adequate, as well as leveling, edge repair, shoulder work, pipe replacement, 1.5-inch hot mix overlay, striping and signage on 12,060 linear feet of roadway. It is a $1.76 million project and is funded through a bond issue.

Although the roads will remain open during most of the work, Mills said it will be helpful to the workers if motorists avoid the area as much as possible.

The area of work is Norman Road from South Harper Road to Gaines Road and Gaines Road from the Norman Road intersection to Highway 2.

Mills anticipates the contractor will start with base repairs on Norman Road and then move to Gaines Road. It is a 90 calendar day project, putting the likely completion at the end of June or early in July.

Bridge work

Also getting started is maintenance work on the bridge on East Third Street near McPeters Funeral Home. The section of East Third between North Parkway Street and Harper Road closed to through traffic on Wednesday.

Depending on weather, Mills said the city hopes to have the bridge maintenance completed in a few weeks.