The Long Street sidewalk project is moving along smoothly, according to Public Works Director Mike Adams, and he expects that the area in front of Hawthorne School to be complete prior to the beginning of the school year.
“It’s actually going very well,” Adams said. “It seems to be on schedule and on budget.”
The priority last week was pouring the sidewalks between 35th Avenue and Clark Mill Road, where Hawthorne is located, Adams said.
The contractor is getting ready to finish the sidewalks and curbs along at Mountain View, Adams said. Drainage and a retaining wall at the intersection are complete.
The contractor is moving west, toward 22nd Avenue, the western edge of the project, he said.
Adams anticipates, at worst, temporary closures at the start of the school year in the area of Hawthorne.
The project, which has included street closures over the past month from 22nd Avenue to 35th Avenue, includes a sidewalk along that 14-block stretch on the south side of the street. Sidewalks will be added to much of the north side of the street, skipping primarily the sections with big drop-offs, such as the intersection of Long Street and Mountain View Road, a section west of Clark Mill and a couple of other stretches.
The project also includes bicycle lanes, and along the south side of the street will be a pollution-controlling swale.
The project attempts to maintain, and in some cases improve, parking where it already exists along Long Street.
The project will cost about $759,000, partially funded by $364,000 in grant money from the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Neither the city nor the contractor have had any complaints, Adams said. He believes people are excited about getting sidewalks on Long Street.
Completion is anticipated in late November. North Santiam Paving Co. is the contractor.