Construction continues to move along in downtown Park Rapids, with most of the initial removals completed on Second Street.
A water main connection was completed in the alley behind McDonald's, in the middle of the night. This was one of the trickiest parts of the project, said city engineer Jon Olson.
He said the long range schedule still holds, with everything on track.
Some cement work is being corrected around light poles along Main Avenue, along with granite inlays being installed.
Street grading could begin on Second Street as early as next week, Olson said.
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Crews are continuing to replace water and sewer infrastructure on Third Street. They will continue to work with businesses to determine the best times to be disconnected and reconnected to water.
Olson said he has spoken with workers at the U.S. Post Office about moving the drop box to a drive up location but it will remain off of Highway 71 for now.
He said they are monitoring complaints and people should direct any complaints directly to the post office. The phone number is 732-4477.
A representative of the Senior Citizens Center asked for boardwalks to be placed between Highway 71 up to the center on Second Street so people can have an easier time accessing the building. Olson said he would make sure something gets placed along the south side of Second Street.
Some discussion took place regarding striping on Main. Right now the temperatures aren't warm enough to paint the street. It might be completed in the middle of the night to minimize the hassle of closing the road, Olson said.
Opp Construction, the company who poured the concrete on Main last fall, will be cleaning and sealing a test area on a portion of the center colored concrete. Portions of this concrete were damaged over the winter. The hope is to repair the area so it will blend in with the rest of the surface.
The tentative completion date for Phase two is June 30.
Parking is available along Main Avenue and along Highway 71 and Pleasant Avenue. City parking lots are also available.
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Construction crews will be working with individual business owners about access issues. Some of the alleys will have work done as well, which means some businesses might be without rear access at some points.
A temporary mail drop box is located on Highway 71 at the Post Office.
Weekly construction meetings will be held at 8 a.m. Thursdays at Bella Caffé. The next meeting is Thursday, May 19.
If anyone has questions during the week, call Jon Olson, project engineer at 218-846-7737 or 218-234-8680, or Jeff Wipper, project superintendent at 320-980-2523.
