Ash Street roundabout will close
By Ty Johnson
Published in News on July 26, 2012 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/TROY HERRING
Portions of the traffic circle at Ash and Center streets will be closed at times over the next five weeks, city officials said, to permit work on the Streetscape project. Not all of the intersection will be closed at all times.
The renovations associated with the Center Street Streetscape project will require closing portions of the Ash Street roundabout while construction continues on the city's signature downtown revitalization initiative.
The city announced Wednesday that the closing will begin Monday and will last about five weeks. Lane closures would take effect between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. in an effort to limit congestion during rush hours.
The closing will not necessarily require the entire traffic circle to be closed at all times, but the eastbound portion, which lies on the south side of the roundabout closest to where the renovations are being done, will likely be closed more often than the westbound portion.
The plan is for the eastbound lane to be closed for about a week while utility work is being conducted. The westbound lane would remain open during that time.
The innermost westbound lane will then be closed for three days while utility connections are made there as well, with all other lanes still in operation. The outer westbound lane will be closed for three days following that for the same reason with all other lanes remaining open.
After that utility work is completed, the entire roundabout will be closed for up to two days as the milling of the asphalt will take place.
Following that, the outer westbound lane will be opened while work continues on the other lanes. That work is expected to last two to three weeks.
Finally, all of the lanes will be closed for about a week to pave the street, install striping and to form and pour the traffic islands.