OCEANSIDE — Mission Avenue is moving into the final phases of roadwork that were initially set to be completed by June 19, before the project ran into a few stalls.
Work started in October 2013 to change the avenue west of Interstate 5 into a one-way street with pedestrian-friendly wider sidewalks, landscaping, and benches.
Delays came when roadwork was stopped for winter rains, and unexpected underground structures were found beneath Mission Avenue and removed.
Buried electronic units from the old Pac Bell building on the corner of Mission Avenue and Coast Highway 101 had been left after the communications business closed.
Rain and removal of the units set work behind the original completion date by a month.
Nathan Mertz, city project manager, updated business owners and residents on roadwork progress at the MainStreet Oceanside Morning Meeting on July 1.
To date the majority of the work is completed on three-fourths of the roadway. Sidewalks have been widened and replaced on the north side of the avenue, storm drains have been put in, and landscaping is currently being planted on both sides of the street.
Road repairs still need to be completed at Mission Avenue and Coast Highway. This will be postponed until after the July 4 weekend.
Replacement of old sections of sidewalk abutting storefronts on the south side of the avenue will also be done after July 7.
“Next week we’ll be removing the remaining sidewalk,” Mertz said. “We’ll have all new sidewalks by the 14th of July.
“Everything is looking good.”
Sidewalk forming and pouring will take place in the evening in order to cause minimal disruption to businesses, which have remained open through the eight months of road construction. Pedestrian access to businesses will remain open at all times.
Roadwork is expected to be finished and sidewalk benches put in by the end of July.
2 comments
On the one hand, the public is encouraged to participate in “workshops” with multiple choice answers & no ability to select “none of the above.” On the other hand, we hear plans were pretty much decided several years ago. The idea of reverse-angle parking, narrowing (or removing) lanes & spending more tax money seems like a bad idea. If it’s just to make downtown “pretty” or “tourist-friendly,” couldn’t that have been done without all this spending? Or are these projects another excuse to favor builders & developers? If there’s a real reason these “improvements” are a good idea, let’s hear it. Change the Council in November; vote OUT Felien & Kern.
“Improvements”
Comments are closed.