After extended discussion, and multiple schedule revisions, at this week’s ODOT project team meeting, the contractors and agency partners concluded that, in order to expedite the Pacific Avenue sidewalk work, additional crew resources would be put into grading and finishing the last conduit work on the west Pacific sidewalk between 2nd and 3rd this week so that the concrete can start to be poured next Tuesday and then reopened for foot traffic by the week thereafter.
While the flatwork is being poured, all the digging and curbline work would continue across the 2nd Street intersection so that the concrete work could follow right behind. Work on these first two segments would then lead to the demolition of the remaining west Pacific sidewalks up past the Rodeo. Once that alignment is complete, the plan is to swing the concrete crews over to the Second Street Plaza, which should be graded and ready, and start them working the full street from east to west. With the concentrated prep work leading the way, the concrete crews should be able to keep pouring continuously, without having to wait on subgrade stabilization, curb & gutter, or weather.
In order to make this approach function, the access to the Blue Moon Café would be flipped, moving back to their westward door with a boardwalk that would be constructed to Main. The Phoenix Exchange, which has been struggling along with its limited access, has agreed to limit it even further by closing for a couple of days when the crews pour their access, rather than having their approach poured in halves to allow continuous access to their business. That way, while the disruption is greater, it is for a shorter period of time as the entire entry would cure all at once.
Because these are going to be tough times for those businesses, please go out of your way to patronize them during this period while the intensity of the sidewalk work around their businesses increases in an effort to get it done faster.
In other project arenas, the installation of the electrical conduits for future undergrounding of wires is nearing completion under the impending plaza, thanks to a partnership of the project contractors, the City, the Urban Renewal Agency, and the Tillamook People’s Utility District.
The nightwork in front of Rosenberg’s has run smoothly so far, enabling the installation of the 18-inch storm drain tie-in crossings to be placed without too much traffic disruption. There is still some storm drain work to come with the 30-inch and 36-inch tie-ins remaining to be completed on the north end. The City’s waterline is already installed in the bridge and ready to be hooked up when the storm drains are done.
The bridge itself is going through its readiness checklist in anticipation of starting to pour the deck around the 13th of April. This major construction element will take about a week to complete.
Our Highway Project E-news bulletin is created by Jeannell Wyntergreen, Highway 101/6 Project Liaison for the Tillamook Area Chamber of Commerce. If you have any questions or would like to share a comment with the Chamber, contact her at hwyproject@