Briefing No. 32
Pioneer Way Reconstruction Project

September 29, 2011

Good evening,

Based on conversations with a number of downtown merchants, we know that the City staff, City officials and contractors are not the only people keeping a close eye on the weather forecast these days. With final paving and striping scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday this week, everyone we talked with seemed to be hoping that we might get lucky and string together two dry days in late September. That hope did not go unrewarded. While these paving days clearly caused some significant disruptions, the work was completed under sunny skies and it is terrific to have most of the major street work behind us. Many thanks to everyone for your patience during final paving.

The project, minus the block between Ireland and Ilwaco, is now less than a week from “substantial completion” as defined in our contract with Strider Construction. Work beyond this date, including final landscaping, bringing down the power lines and poles, punchlist corrections (including fixing damage to private property) and completing the archaeology block will obviously continue until everything is complete. The downtown merchants are busy planning “Pioneer Way Celebrates” on October 15. Activities include a fun run on the new street, food, music, poker walk, ribbon cutting, balloons, chalk art (weather permitting) and “a sweet taste of Pioneer Way.” Watch for ads in local newspapers for details.

Construction Work

□ The landscaping subcontractor completed topsoil application and irrigation testing most planter islands and is set to begin putting in the new plants. The first trees should arrive in their new locations beginning tomorrow and likely continuing on Saturday.

□ Final paving and striping for the entire project minus the archaeological block was completed on Wednesday and Thursday.

□ Puget Sound Energy, Frontier Communications and Comcast are all working on the street pulling wire and installing equipment in the new underground power and communications network.

□ Strider Construction continued to work on installing the “amenities,” including handrails, landscaping, streetlights, planters, benches, bike racks, tree grates, permanent signs and streetside restoration.

The Archaeological Work

□ City officials and the City’s consulting archaeological firm, Northwest Archaeological Associates (NWAA), are expecting the State to issue a revised excavation permit on Monday, October 3. With that expectation, NWAA is planning to begin work on Tuesday inside the archaeological enclosure to remove the top 10” or so of dirt to allow the street to be completed. This material will be screened for human remains and other cultural materials with any new discoveries set aside for reburial.

□ Archaeological monitoring is continuing whenever Strider or one of their subcontractors performs any excavation work.

Scheduled Gatherings/Events

AM TUESDAY COFFEES
Every Tuesday morning – 9:00 to 10:00 am
Pioneer Way Information and Construction Office
Have a cup and pastry, hear what’s on the schedule for that week

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15
Pioneer Way Celebrates!
Lots of Merchant-Sponsored Activities on the new street and sidewalks
Fun Run, Food, Music, Poker Walk, Chalk Art (weather permitting), Sidewalk Sale and Much More
Ribbon Cutting at Dock and Pioneer, 12-2


Key City Contact People

Larry Cort
Project Manager
360 914-7107
lcort@oakharbor.org

Joe Stowell
Project Engineer
360 279-4520
jstowell@oakharbor.org


Rhonda Severns
City Utilities
360 914-7256
rhseverns@oakharbor.org