PORT ANGELES – The city’s busy downtown is about to get just a little bit busier.
The $2,418,737 third phase of the city’s downtown sidewalk and water main project, which will restrict vehicle and pedestrian traffic as well as parking on one block per street, begins at 7 a.m. Monday.
“Plan a little extra time when you travel,” said city spokeswoman Teresa Pierce.
“I think that’s the new theme in Port Angeles,” she said, noting the ongoing Eighth Street bridges replacement and downtown Port Angeles International Gateway Transportation Center construction projects.
IMCO General Construction is set to begin work on the south side of First Street at Cherry Street, moving east toward Oak Street.
The project is slated to last 90 working days, or about four months.
Construction is expected to be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
During those hours, the south lane of First Street will be closed to traffic and parking in the construction area, although the sidewalk will remain open.
Construction also is expected to start sometime this week on the west side of Laurel Street between Front Street and Railroad Avenue.
The sidewalk and parking along that section of Laurel Street will be closed, but traffic won’t be affected.
The construction schedule may change, depending on the contractor’s progress and weather conditions, Pierce said.
No other work will be done from Nov. 16 through Jan. 6 east of Cherry Street – other than that on First Street and Laurel Street – and no more than one block will be excavated at a time.
This is to reduce negative effects on holiday shopping, said Eric Walrath, city civil engineer.
A map showing the affected areas and a construction schedule are on the city’s Web site at www.cityofpa.us DowntownWaterMainProject.htm.
