Construction update — PINK section 9/25/24
Construction update from RCOC
This week
Curb removal and edge drain installation will continue through the week in the northern part of the section (Yarmouth and Oak west of Cranbrook, Tottenham and Dorstone). Once the edge drains are in, the areas will be prepared to receive curbs. Preparation work will likely continue into early next week.
Mike’s Landscaping will be performing restoration work in the areas that have had the first course of paving. Restoration will include sprinkler repairs, laying top soil where landscaping has been damaged, and laying sod. This work will generally move from east to west, starting with Glenhurst, then Westwood, then Waddington, etc.
ART will continue with structure lining throughout the section. When structures are lined, the contractor may block the street temporarily, particularly for structures in the middle of the road. Residents will need to detour around the temporary blockages.
Next week
Preparation for curbing in the northern part of the section will continue as indicated above.
Doan will begin curbing in the prepared areas on Yarmouth and Oak west of Cranbrook, Tottenham and Dorstone mid- to late-next week. Oak and Yarmouth will likely be done first, then Dorstone, then Tottenham. This process includes removal of temporary driveway approaches, pouring concrete curbs and laying concrete driveway approaches. Impacted residents will not have access to their driveways for approximately 2 weeks, beginning with the day the driveway approach is removed. Residents will receive a notice on their front doors about 48 hours in advance, indicating the specific day the driveway approach will be removed. On that day, residents will want to remove their cars from driveways/garages and park on a different street before 7 am to avoid getting blocked in for the two-week period. See further discussion below.
Structure lining will continue next week throughout the section.
Mike’s Landscaping will continue restoration work.
Driveway access and parking restrictions during curbing
The curbing process includes removal of temporary driveway approaches, pouring concrete curbs, laying concrete driveway approaches and allowing the concrete to cure. Residents will not have access to their driveways for about two weeks, starting from the day the driveway approach is removed. This allows time for the concrete curbs/driveway approaches to cure before there is vehicle traffic on them. See more information on the curbing process and related limitations on driveway access and parking restrictions HERE.
New driveway approaches will generally be concrete, unless the Road Commission contacts the impacted resident to discuss a different material (asphalt, re-installing brick pavers, etc.) Residents who previously had asphalt driveway approaches can request an asphalt replacement (instead of concrete) by emailing Wayne Dabrowski at wdabrowski@rcoc.org.
On the days when the contractor is removing driveways, laying curb and laying driveway approaches, please park on another street during the workday (or perhaps arrange with a neighbor across the street to park in their driveway). It is very difficult, and in some cases impossible, for the contractor to navigate around vehicles parked on the street during construction. After the construction crews have left for the evening, street parking is fine until the crews come back at 7 am the next day. Once the curbs and driveway approaches have been laid, the contractors will move on to other areas; residents will then be able to park on the opposite sides of their streets until the concrete has cured and driveways are accessible again.
Parking options during the workday for Yarmouth and Oak west of Cranbrook include streets on the west side of Covington — Amberly, Endsleigh, and Kent Ridge — or arranging with a neighbor on the opposite side of the street to park in their driveway. For Dorstone and Tottenham, parking west of Covington or on the Birmingham streets are options.
Once the concrete has cured, the contractor will remove barricades indicating that vehicle traffic on the curbs/driveway approaches can resume. With the cooler nights, residents can expect curing times for the concrete to be longer than earlier in the project.
Looking ahead . . .
Milling and grading in the northern part of the section (Yarmouth and Oak west of Cranbrook, Tottenham and Dorstone) will begin soon after the concrete has cured on the curbs to be poured next week, approximately mid-October. Milling and grading involves parking and access restrictions, as discussed HERE.
Paving will be scheduled once restoration work is completed, and all structures have been lined and adjusted. Ajax has not yet determined the logistics of laying the final “wearing” course of asphalt. Residents should plan that the street will be completely closed for longer than when the first course was laid to allow cooling and provide time for the asphalt to cure. A longer wait before driving on the new asphalt will improve the look of the asphalt for the longer term. Tire marks or other mars that occur if there is traffic on the asphalt too soon are a cosmetic issue that we will have to live with going forward.
Sprinkler winterization
As part of the restoration work, Mike’s Landscaping crews will be repairing any damage to sprinkler systems caused by the construction. Residents will be asked to turn their systems on and confirm damage is repaired. Given the volume of sprinkler repairs Mike’s crews will need to complete, it will take a number of weeks to finish the sprinkler work. Residents with systems needing repair will want to schedule sprinkler winterization for later in October to ensure the systems can be fixed before winterization is done. As a reminder, residents may choose to have their own contractor repair sprinkler damage, but will not be reimbursed for the cost of doing so.
Thank you for your continued patience as we navigate this last 6 - 7 weeks of construction in the Pink section!