Work continues on Second South

Work on Second South started last week and residents should get used to the construction work, as it should continue throughout the year.

Construction is projected to span through the summer months and into the fall of 2016 and may lead into spring of 2017. The Second South project was one of five sixth penny road improvement projects voted on by residents in 2012. Sixth penny projects are funded by the sixth penny taxes, allocated for projects such as this. This year’s project is third of the five projects. East Teton was improved the first year, select residential streets were done the second. The fourth year will be Hitching Post and select sections downtown, the fifth will be a couple more select residential.

The Second South project is especially concerning because it is such a high-traffic street, Director of Public Works, Mark Westenskow, said.

The street was last rebuilt in 1991 and has seen severe rutting since the early 2000s. Since then, the street has seen some minor maintenance, but no major rebuild to extend its life. A few years ago, a surface treatment was done to help the street reach the scheduled rebuild. A full rebuild of Second South has been a long time coming.

“There’s been significant concerns about the underlying soil and (its) stability,” Westenskow said. “And it does get a lot of traffic.”

While the ground is torn up, the city is taking the opportunity to consolidate the two water lines that lay under the street as well, which will improve fire flow in the area.

Along with underground work and road reconstruction, the city plans to make beautification enhancements along the street as well, which will make Second South more pedestrian friendly along the railroad property. The enhancements or amenities for pedestrians will include a continuous sidewalk, with a planter strip between the road and sidewalk, decorative lighting, benches, and garbage cans. Intersections will include modified curb extensions, which will also be handicap accessible.

“We want it to have a different feel when it’s done,” Westenskow said. “Hopefully that provides a catalyst for businesses to be interested in investing in this corridor. The city is making an investment here, it’s one that has been voter approved and we want to make sure…that it is the kind of place they (businesses) want to invest in.”

The street alone sees a lot of traffic in the summer months with various festivals and events.

Seasonal traffic along the street during summer events such as Flaming Gorge Days and the annual River Festival are planned for and the street will be cleared up and made drivable for such events.

As for regular traffic, construction to the street will be done in sections to allow for longer traffic flow through the street and around the construction.

“Our goal is to give access as long as we can,” Westenskow said.

Each block of the street leading to the underpass will take roughly a month of construction. Throughout the duration of construction excluding the construction at the underpass which will be saved for last, threw traffic can get around construction and to businesses on the street using side streets.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation also announced work in Green River will start Monday on East and West Teton Boulevards. The $2.7 million project will eventually include work on Hitching Post Drive as well. That project is expected to finish June 30, 2017 and includes new pavement placement and new curb and gutter placement to meet Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.