One of the surest signs that summer has arrived is road construction, and there will be several streets within Humboldt that will be repaired over the next few months.
Director Public Works and Utilities Peter Bergquist noted the watermain replacements have already begun, as the work has already been completed on Main Street between 1st Avenue and Saskatchewan Avenue.
Work is underway on 10th Street between 12th Avenue and 9th Avenue. Repairs will continue throughout the summer on that road.
Besides water main repairs, the road paving and reconstruction program will open up this week.
From July 7-12, 7th Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets will be closed to allow the roadway to be rebuilt. The street will then be reopened until paving takes place.
Bergquist noted one street that will receive some repairs soon is 9th Avenue between 17th Street and Barnes Crescent.
“There's a section of asphalt there that has been in rough shape for quite a few years. So that's getting replaced with new asphalt.”
The section of 6th Avenue between 5th Street and 6th Street will also be under construction this summer.
Construction for the projects is expected to commence within the next couple of weeks, says Bergquist, adding that preliminary work has started over the last few weeks on 9th Avenue along the sidewalks.
Just like kids who are hoping for nice, hot sunny days on their summer break, Bergquist explains that warm and dry conditions are needed to complete the projects in a timely manner.
“The contractors certainly rely on good weather a lot of rain, or I guess rain weather saturates things that slows everything down. So good dry weather is what everybody wants when it comes to reconstructing roadways.”
If the dry weather unfolds this summer, Berquist hopes the road construction can be completed between the end of August and September.
Along with the road reconstruction, the sand slurry seal program will take place within Humboldt. Bergquist explains, “this is the durable coating that goes over top of roads that are in fairly decent shape to preserve them a bit longer.”
This will occur in various locations throughout the city.