November 23, 2022 |
In Saratoga, progress on the Spring Avenue waterline replacement project continues as Lewis & Lewis get ready to shut down for the season. With time running out, town officials want to know what will be done before the contractor leaves.
At Tuesday’s weekly meeting between town officials and Lewis & Lewis, Josh Ward, the contractor’s representative, said while his crew wouldn’t operate past Tuesday, he wants to complete work on the west side of Hwy 130 by early next week.
The “services” Ward referred to are where the new pipes tie into the existing water infrastructure.
T-O Engineering’s Josh Morris asked Ward about drainage. The town wants to be sure the road surfaces have valley gutters installed before Lewis & Lewis leave. Snowmelt runoff will become an issue once temperatures rise again next year. Ward said he would like to have the gutters installed before they lay down the temporary pavement.
Pictured above: Spring Avenue bore pit. Photo by Bigfoot 99.
Whether the contractor can properly prepare the roads for paving or not remains to be seen. Ground frost continues to be a problem. Ward said he has heaters to warm the ground, but the frost may be too thick, preventing his crew from installing more gutters. He said he will prioritize connecting the new pipes.
The town is also concerned about the Christmas parade. The route goes down River Street, which is closed behind the fire department because of construction. The Impact Joint Powers Board Chairman Richard Raymer asked Ward if he would have the road opened by December 10th. Ward assured the town that River Street would be ready by then.
As reported by Bigfoot 99, the contractor wanted to meet with the town to discuss unexpected expenses associated with the project running so far past its original completion date. The last meeting, which was supposed to be on the 17th, was canceled because many members of both the council and JPB were unable to attend. The Saratoga town council, Impact Joint Powers Board, and Lewis & Lewis rescheduled their workshop for November 29th or 30th.
The cold weather has continued to thwart Lewis & Lewis’ plans. They have failed to reach the milestones they’ve set, such as having the job completed by the end of October and paving finished by Thanksgiving. Next week’s workshop should give the town some idea of what the contractor intends to do once they leave for the season.
