By Sierra Lauder, Director of Events and Downtown Development, Tillamook Area Chamber of Commerce
Big changes begin to emerge this week and will continue in to the next few weeks as many areas in the project transition.
The bridge supports are in place in the water, and this Friday January 26, late morning, there will be a truck with concrete setting up to pour from the new bridge that is currently in use down into forms that will provide the base for the new southbound bridge. Expect traffic delays while that pour takes place, which will last less than an hour but will likely cause significant traffic disruption during that hour. That pour and subsequent traffic delay on the bridge is expected late morning (around 10) this Friday, January 26th.
Just south of the bridge, the curb and gutter is complete along the west side of Main Street from Burden’s up to First, in front America’s Mattress. (Photo Below.) Sidewalk is not far off there, although that stretch and much of the other sidewalk pouring that needs to take place is weather dependent, and will be touch and go with the forecast the next few weeks.
Further south along Main, the sidewalks from the corner of Third headed north along Sunflower Flats, Annie’s Country Sportswear, and Everything Pets are poured and set and looking very nice. Access to Tangled Yarns is intact from that new sidewalk. Now that the southern portion of that block is complete, demolition of the northern stretch, from Tangled Yarns up to the corner of Second Street Plaza, is set to take place through next week. There is only one vault in that stretch, which has already been excavated. One wall needs to be built there, and then it will be lidded and the rebuild of the sidewalk can begin. Once the demo starts early next week, access to Pacific Restaurant will transition from Main Street to their side door on Second Street Plaza.
Transition is on the horizon for the next block of Main as well- the heating oil tank that is south of Diamond Art Jewelers has run the agency gauntlet, and crews now have the green light to safely abandon that tank in place. The bioswale on that corner has already taken shape, and curb and gutter (followed by sidewalks) will be coming soon, assuming the weather cooperates.
Moving northeast a bit, you have probably noticed the forming and layout in place for the radial patterned concrete that is going in front of the Pioneer Museum on the corner of First and Pacific. Everything is set there to start pouring concrete as soon as it stops pouring rain.
In front of the Rodeo, work is progressing quickly. Another oil tank is set there, but this one is actually still in active use, and so the project will adapt to accommodate it. Stormwater drains and catchbasins are being set through there. and access to the Rodeo continues to be through the side door while they wrap up the underground work and get things graded and prepped for sidewalk replacement.
Finally, I just wanted to remind everyone about the zipper merge process and encourage you take advantage of as much of the lane capacity as there is available for as long as it is available in an effort to minimize the traffic back ups, particularly when headed southbound from North Main. I will include another video about zipper merging below, and encourage you to share the strategy with friends and co-workers. Be safe out there!
FAQ’s about the project:
Zipper merging is encouraged!
For more information about the project, including conceptual drawings that help visualize the project in its entirety, you can check out the ODOT page: www.TillamookTraffic.org
