Randi Szabo Banik Communications
Another 50-ton excavator will be added to the storm sewer upgrade project for US-2 through downtown Havre next week. Nelcon, Inc. will bring in an additional digging crew to begin work on the grading of the west ditch. “We’d originally scheduled this portion of the work for late July,” Sam Weyers, project manager said. “But we have crews available now, and this is a task that we could fit in at any time. No matter when we start digging out the ditch, it will have water in it.” The west ditch is intended to provide storm drainage from downtown Havre to the Milk River, but the current grade of the ditch does not do the job. Because of the soft bottom, the excavation will be worked from the sides of the ditch. Grading is expected to take about 15 days. The crew will be made up of local new hires as well as Nelcon employees from Kalispell. Additional Utility Crew on First Street: During the next week, a utility crew will be added to the construction team already working on the placement of storm sewer box pipe under the northern lanes of the roadway. “No later than mid-week, we’ll get to the water utility tieins at 17th and 18th avenues,” said Weyers. “There will also be a waterline crossing at 16th.” Traffic control lanes on US-2 through the east end of Havre will continue in their current configuration. All businesses are accessible. The next public meeting to provide project updates will be held nest Wednesday, May 16 at 9 a.m. at the Hill County Electric/Triangle Telephone Hospitality Room at the east end of the building. Information about the construction schedule and business access will be disseminated through the local newspaper and radio outlets for the duration of the project, as well as at www.us2havre.com. Local frequencies for roadside traffic advisory radio are not yet in place.
