By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The reconstruction of West 27th Street between Hall and Fort Streets will be halted as the weather turns colder, according to John Braun, Hays project director.
Work force availability and other factors kept the contractor, Paul-Wertenberger Construction of Hays, from completing the $2.4 million project by the original schedule date of November 17, Braun explained.
Designated as an arterial road, 27th is a busy three-lane street, carrying approximately 10,000 vehicles per day east and west across the city.
Traffic has been diverted from the area since work started March 25 at Hall Street and continued east on 27th Street during the summer to about the area of Lincoln and Cottonwood Streets.
"The contractor will button things up for a winter shut-down," Braun said. "By the middle of next week, 27th Street will be reopened to unrestricted traffic and all adjacent residents will have full access to their properties.
"Construction will resume in the spring to finish out the rest of the project all the way to Fort Street."
"All the detour and construction signage, traffic cones and stuff will be removed," Braun said, "and the street will be opened for full traffic throughout the winter until a mutually agreed upon date will be determined to start back up and then finish the project."
The work is currently about two-thirds completed.
Adjacent residents have had to use the alleys to access their property.
"All the pavement is being removed and replaced, curb and gutter, sidewalks. So it's a full makeover of 27th," Braun said.
Also included are new pavement markings, storm sewer improvements at Canal Boulevard and the area adjacent to Van Doren Pond, waterline improvements including abandonment of an old four-inch water main along Walnut from 23rd to 27th, and fire hydrants at Hillcrest, Cottonwood and Willow.