Portions of the Depot Street revitalization project will be delayed due to supply chain issues, according Zack Levine, engagement specialist for contractor Vaugh & Melton.
In an online information session Thursday afternoon, Levine noted that the start date for contractor Summers-Taylor to begin demolition work on the portion of Depot Street between Main and Irish streets has been delayed due to supply issues.
“Right now the timeline to begin working again in that area has been pushed back to mid to late February due to supply chain issues. If you’ll recall that work was initially going to begin in mid-January,” Levine said.
The work the has now been pushed back to late February in that section involves total street demolition in preparation to construct the new street and sidewalks.
“That part of Depot will be the first block where Summers-Taylor tears up the street and begins doing major demolition. That is the next major step in the construction project,” Levine said.
As the project progresses, supply chain issues with rebar and other materials could leave things up in the air as to exactly when they will happen said Tony Roe, construction engineering and inspection manager of the project.
“Right now we are in a slight lull between when the utilities are wrapping up in some areas of the project and the part when Summers-Taylor comes in and really starts closing streets and tearing stuff up to replace,” Levine said.
As for the work that is continuing, it is mainly occurring on Cutler Street and on the culvert over Richland Creek near the intersection of College and Depot streets.
The gas line has been placed under the creek, and crews have now begun work to fully demolish one side of the culvert.
The culvert will be demolished and a new one built in its place in two stages.
One side of the culvert will remain, while the other side is completely demolished and replaced. Once that side is finished, the other side will be demolished and replaced.
According to Levine, the work will be done this way as to not make the street completely impassible due to the creek at any time. One side of the culvert will always be intact in some form to permit crews to move equipment easily and work more efficiently.
A new three-sided box culvert made of poured concrete and rebar will be built over the creek.
Work on the culvert will be completed in 18 to 20 weeks.
Work on utilities on Cutler Street between Summer and Church streets will continue through next week. There are no water shutoffs predicted to be necessary for the area according to Levine.
During the informational session, Greene County Partnership Chief Executive Officer Jeff Taylor noted that the annual Iris Festival would be happening downtown in a few months and would need to be able to work around the construction.
Levine assured Taylor the contractor would make sure construction would not hinder the annual festival when the time came.
“We want you to be able to do the Iris Festival safely and successfully without construction in the way,” Levine said.
Taylor was appreciative and expressed excitement with the future of the construction.
“We have been thrilled to see how much progress has happened, and the community can see that everyone is really working hard. It has been fun to learn more about the community by taking different routes to work every day,” Taylor said. “Digging is good. Digging is progress.”
