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Updates on Road Construction: Repaving on King Street Started Last Night; Rivers Street on Schedule

By Paul T. Choate

The Rivers Street project deadline is Aug. 15. Photo by Paul T. Choate

July 19, 2012. Resurfacing of Rivers Street began recently and as of last night, July 18, work began on King Street as well. Both projects are night work projects and are scheduled to be completed in the near future. 

According to Doug Eller, assistant resident engineer for the N.C. Department of Transportation, everything is going according to plan on both projects.

These two projects are part of a much larger contract. In January, Maymead Inc. won a $3.6 million dollar contract from the NCDOT to pave King and Rivers streets along with 24.3 miles of other roadways in Avery and Watauga counties. 

“Those two particular maps are part of a contract that have multiple maps in there. So it’s not a contract that is specifically for King Street or a contract that is specifically for Rivers Street,” said Eller. “The entire contract is scheduled to be completed by Sept. 30. Now obviously, based on the progress they’re making, they should not be working working here Sept. 30. They have until then to finish all the maps in the contract.”

An example of how Rivers Street looks after being milled. Photo by Paul T. Choate

The Rivers Street project deadline is Aug. 15. Eller said he could not give an exact date of estimated completion on King Street, but according to Don Greer, N.C. Division Manager with Maymead Inc., the project should be completed in three or four days. 

Work on both projects will only take place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Throughout the paving process, one milled lane will remain open on both King and Rivers streets for motorists. On King Street, flaggers will be positioned to direct traffic.

On July 5, Eller told High Country Press that milling would occur to prevent “paving higher and higher and changing elevations.” He added that these projects are not a “Band-Aid fix.”

To view a previous article on the King and Rivers streets projects, visit hcpress.com/news/rivers-street-paving-to-occur-in-two-weeks-king-street-resurfacing-takes-place-middle-of-august.html.