Several weeks late, downtown sidewalk, street project begins

­­by MOLLY SKYLES
Assistant Editor

RED OAK — After a delayed start, the $1.5 million downtown street and sidewalk replacement project is well underway.
As of Friday, City Engineer Pete Crawford said Carley Construction, LLC, the company doing the project, was working on 3rd St., replacing curbs and gutters between Hammond and Washington, particularly those around the corner nodes and midblock.

After 3rd St. is finished, they will move around the square one block at a time replacing curbs and gutters.

Crawford said they plan to have all the curbs and gutters replaced by mid-October when Henningsen Contruction of Atlantic is scheduled to lay the asphalt for the new streets. While the streets are being replaced, the contractor from Carley can then focus on the sidewalks.

There have been minor conflicts with the location of utility lines on the corners of the square where concrete planters are being constructed. According to Crawford, this has led to minor setbacks, but he said the contractor seems confident they will meet the deadlines.

“It’s important that he (the contractor) sticks to a rigorous schedule so we don’t run out of construction season,” Crawford said. “It’s too early for me to tell if things are on time, but it should go okay if he keeps following the schedule.”

Crawford added the contractor has apparently been keeping in contact with business owners on the square to ensure the construction is not in the way of business’ access.

So far, Crawford is unaware of any issues.

Construction is scheduled to be completed during November. The Red Oak Express will have more updates on the project as they become available.