Daily Sitka Sentinel

Just Ahead: New, Improved Edgcumbe Drive

By TOM HESSE

Sentinel Staff Writer

Fresh pavement on Edgecumbe Drive may only be a few weeks away. 

The city’s $4.6 million project will resurface the whole one-mile length of Edgecumbe Drive, from Peterson Street to Cascade Creek Road. 

A multi-use path is being added, and improvements to drainage, sidewalks and road subgrade are included in the reconstruction project.

City Public Works engineer Dave Longtin said the project is expected to be finished on time and within budget, and that it shouldn’t be too long before the road base and traffic cones give way to smooth blacktop. 

“The paving should all take place in the first two or three weeks of August,” Longtin said. 

That should allow time for the section in front of Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary to be ready for the first day of school at the end of August. 

“There’s two deadlines,” Longtin said. “The section from Mills Street to Kimsham street, the contractor has to have it done by August 25, so that they’re completely out of the way by the time school starts.

“The rest of the project, which stretches all the way from Cascade Creek Road to Peterson, needs to be done by Sept. 21 although we’ll probably extend that a little bit since we’re adding some things to the project.” 

S&S Construction was awarded the contract for the job, and project spokesperson Camy Hyde said progress has been “fabulous” so far.

Workers with S&S Construction prepare Edgecumbe Drive for repaving this afternoon.  (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

When it’s all finished, Longtin said Edgecumbe Drive should not only be in first-class shape for traffic, but also safer for all users. 

Crosswalks near the school will be lighted and the sidewalks at the crossings will have “bulb-outs,” which are expansions of the sidewalks farther into the vehicle traffic lanes to reduce the distance pedestrians have to walk from one side of the street to the other.

The drainage improvements should increase the longevity of the surface improvements, Longtin said.

“There are approximately 30 or 40 corrugated metal pipes that are going in under the road. We’re replacing all of those things because (the old ones) are all very corroded,” he said. 

A multi-use path for non-motorized traffic will be located on the upland side of the street. The $5 million cost of the entire project comes from state grant funding and the city’s general and infrastructure funds. 

A relatively dry summer has helped move the project along.

“It’s helped – especially in regards to peeling up pavement,” Longtin said. “Some of the material under the pavement, if it gets wet has the potential to become less usable so then you have to cut material out and import new material, which takes time and costs money. So we’ve been fortunate enough with good weather and the contractor has done a good job.

“When they’re removing pavement they’re doing a great job of staying right behind it and covering it with new material that resists the water from damaging the material underneath.” 

Through the duration of the project the city and S&S construction will host informational meetings, typically on the second Thursday of each month. Information about the meetings along with construction drawings for Edgecumbe Drive can be found online at cityofsitka.com.