This council break has been anything but as the Tates Creek Road Sidewalk Project has received its final push to make sure we’re all on the right path. Here I will give you an update on the schedule for a project that has seemed like a roller coaster ride, but will result in a smooth process for all from this point forward.
A pre-construction meeting was held with the winning contractor, Bluegrass Contracting, on July 23. At that time, the contractor gave us a preliminary work schedule. The plan is to start construction at the end of the existing sidewalk on the west side of the road (1616 Tates Creek Rd.) and work south to the intersection of Alumni Drive. During this period, work will start in the early morning and end at 3 p.m. before the outbound rush hour traffic.
After reaching Alumni Drive, the crew will switch to the east side of Tates Creek Road and work back to the end of the existing sidewalk (1609 Tates Creek Rd.). During this period work will start at 9 a.m. after the morning rush hour and go to the end of the normal workday. Once that section is complete the crew will move back to the west side at 2645 Tates Creek Rd. and work south toward Albany Road. The crew will again switch back to the east side and work back to Alumni Drive.
When the second section is complete the crew will move to the west side at 3101 Tates Creek Rd. and work south to the end of the project at Lansdowne Shopping Center. The crew will again switch to the east side and tie into the existing sidewalk section and work back to Albany Road.
The plan is to issue the Notice to Proceed on Aug. 12, after which the contractor has 10 days to begin construction. The contract allows the contractor 270 days to complete this project. This, again, is a preliminary schedule, and I will keep you advised of the progress once we get underway.
Adding some detail to the above described project outline, the landscaping part of the project will follow the new sidewalk by about 1,000 feet. As the sidewalk goes in and the construction clears, the landscape crew will follow at a respectable distance. This way, the whole project will maintain a more finished appearance as it progresses. As many best management practices as possible will be followed so that signage, silt fencing, mud prevention on the roadways, and other considerations will always be ongoing.
When the process is up and running, it is our intent for the contractor to “lay” 100 feet per day of new sidewalk. That’s a goal – the actuality may vary. As noted from the critical path description, when the project “turns” at Alumni Drive and later at Albany Road, the pedestrian crossing upgrades will take place as the crew works its way back down the opposite side of Tates Creek Road. The last section will have the culmination of an entirely new signal apparatus, poles and arms at Lansdowne Drive.
With as much positive anticipation as these 15,000 linear feet of sidewalk have engendered, I hope the opportunity for a proper groundbreaking can be incorporated into the “Notice to Proceed.” When that is set, we will let you know about the event through this magazine and the Fifth District Council’s office. Property owners along the Tates Creek Road corridor who will be impacted by this project will soon receive letters detailing the project and who to call if you happen to have questions or encounter issues along the way.
You can also find a project overview on the LFUCG website at www.lexingtonky.gov on the Division of Engineering’s main page.
Bill Farmer, Jr. Is the 5th District council representative. He can be reached at (859) 258-3213, by e-mail at bfarmer@lexingtonky.gov, or by fax at (859) 259-3838. Letters may be addressed to: Councilmember Bill Farmer, Urban County Council, 200 E. Main St., Lexington, KY 40507.