Oak Ridge Today

Rogers Group patching parts of Illinois, Turnpike today through Thursday

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Rogers Group Inc., a contractor for the City of Oak Ridge, is expected to start patching parts of two state highways today. The two state roads are Illinois Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike.

The work is expected to last most of the week and be complete by Thursday, June 30, unless interrupted by weather or unforeseen problems, a press release said.

“Motorists should be aware of short-term temporary lane closures while this work is being completed,” the press release said. “Please take extra caution near Methodist Medical Center at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike and Tennyson Road. Thank you for your cooperation and patience while this work is being completed.”

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Part of Manhattan Avenue to be rebuilt, closed for about three weeks

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Manhattan-Avenue-and-Northwestern-Avenue-June-3-2016

Road work is scheduled to begin Monday, June 6, 2016, on a small portion of Manhattan Avenue between South Purdue Avenue and Northwestern Avenue. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A short section of Manhattan Avenue will be rebuilt, and that section of the street could be closed for about three weeks.

The work is scheduled to start Monday, June 6, on Manhattan Avenue between South Purdue and Northwestern avenues.

Manhattan Avenue will be closed there to through traffic, and alternate routes could be in place for about three weeks, a press release said. Only residents will be allowed access to the roadway and their driveways.

“A road reconstruction is a major project for the City of Oak Ridge, as usually we only mill and resurface streets,” the press release said. “Due to the subsurface failure of this portion of Manhattan Avenue, reconstruction of the roadway is necessary.” [Read more…]

City provides info on Oak Ridge street resurfacing

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The Oak Ridge Public Works Department expected to start resurfacing city streets as listed below on Tuesday, October 27. The city recommends that motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists use extra care and caution when traveling on the following streets:

Street Name From Street/Business To Street/Business
Access Road 1 Karen’s Jewelers Rocky Top
Access Road 3 Krystal Taco Bell
Bear Creek Road, West 1510 Bear Creek Road Hwy 58 Ramp
Division Road, East Oak Ridge Turnpike 270 South
Vanderbilt Drive, East Villanova Road Illinois Avenue, S.
Vanderbilt Drive, West Oak Ridge Turnpike Virginia Road
Vanderbilt Drive, West 1 Villanova Road Virginia Road
Elmhurst Drive Briarcliff Avenue Eastridge Drive
East Drive 4 Audubon Road Athens Road
East Drive 3 Alger Road Audubon Road
Alger Road 2 Amherst Lane East Drive

[Read more…]

Schedule: Installation of Jackson Square fountain could start July 27, last four weeks

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Angel Rich Johnson and Roger Flynn

Angel Rich Johnson, left, president of Rich Construction Inc. of Lenoir City, and Roger Flynn, Oak Ridge Public Works engineer, are pictured above at Jackson Square on Monday, January 5, 2015. The Jackson Square renovations started in January.

 

Note: This story was updated at 2:15 p.m. July 7.

Installation of the interactive fountain at the center of Jackson Square could start July 27 and last four weeks, according to an estimated construction timeline.

The sidewalks and the majority of the parking lot have been finished, and Roger Flynn, acting Oak Ridge city engineer, said he has discussed project completion with Rich Construction, the contractor for the $1 million rebuild of the Jackson Square parking lot.

Construction started in January, and enough paving work was completed that merchants and vendors were able to have the annual Lavender Festival at Jackson Square on June 20. Renovations are expected to be complete by the end of August.

Flynn told merchants in a June 24 email that the remaining work is expected to take place in this order: [Read more…]

Council to consider more funding, contract for Blankenship Field parking lot

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Blankenship Field Parking Lot

The lower parking lot at Blankenship Field, which is used for football games and high school graduation.

 

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider increasing the amount of money to be used for parking lot work at Blankenship Field, and members will also consider awarding a contract for the project during a meeting tonight (Monday, June 1).

The City Council agreed in May 2014 to use $180,000 in traffic camera money for improvements to the lower parking lot at Blankenship Field, which is used for football games and high school graduation.

Council agreed to increase that amount to a maximum of $250,000 in July 2014, Oak Ridge Public Works Director Gary Cinder said in a May 26 memo to City Manager Mark Watson.

But the work could cost $264,791, according to a proposed contract from Rogers Group Inc. of Oak Ridge that the Council will consider tonight. [Read more…]

Railroad tracks removed from South Illinois, Emory Valley

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South Illinois Avenue Railroad Track Removal

A work crew from Rogers Group removes unused railroad tracks from South Illinois Avenue just south of Lafayette Drive and Scarboro Road on Saturday night. After the tracks were removed, the railroad crossing was repaved, and the road reopened on Sunday.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 6:30 p.m.

Unused railroad tracks that crossed Briarcliff Avenue, Emory Valley Road, and South Illinois Avenue were removed on Thursday and Saturday night.

Railroad company CSX split the traffic control costs with the city and paid to remove the tracks, Oak Ridge Public Works Director Gary Cinder said. In exchange, the city agreed to repave the roadways as part of street maintenance. The crossing lights were removed as well so that commercial vehicles, including school buses, no longer have to stop at the abandoned crossings and, in the case of school buses and other vehicles that carry children, open and close their doors before proceeding.

The project has been in the works for two years.

“We’re thrilled to finally get to this stage,” Cinder said last week. “It’s been a long time coming.” [Read more…]

South Illinois to be closed Saturday night as railroad tracks removed

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South Illinois Avenue Railroad Crossing

A section of South Illinois Avenue will be closed Saturday night as a city contractor removes the abandoned railroad tracks that cross the busy roadway just south of the intersection with Lafayette Drive and Scarboro Road.

 

A section of South Illinois Avenue will be closed Saturday night as a city contractor removes the abandoned railroad tracks that cross the busy roadway just south of the intersection with Lafayette Drive and Scarboro Road.

The work by Rogers Group Inc. should be complete by Sunday, a city press release said.

Workers will start installing traffic control devices to close the road and divert traffic to the detour at about 6 p.m. Saturday. The road, also known as State Route 62, or SR62, will be closed at roughly 8 p.m., the press release said.

“To minimize the inconvenience to the public, this work will take place overnight,” it said. [Read more…]

Emory Valley Road to be closed temporarily as railroad tracks removed

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Emory Valley Road Railroad Crossing

Emory Valley Road will temporarily be closed between Briarcliff Avenue and Fairbanks Road as railroad tracks that are no longer used are removed.

 

Emory Valley Road will temporarily be closed between Briarcliff Avenue and Fairbanks Road as railroad tracks that are no longer used are removed on Thursday.

Rogers Group Inc., a city contractor, is removing the railroad tracks that cross Emory Valley Road and Briarcliff Avenue on Thursday. The project should be completed on Friday, a city press release said.

The road closure is designed to help make the construction project safe for workers and motorists, and it will will require that traffic be detoured. The detour routes will be clearly marked, the press release said. The closures will affect only one direction of traffic at a time. Message boards will be located on Lafayette Drive to remind motorists of the closure so an alternate route can be taken. All residential and business properties will have access during this closure; however, streets will be posted for no through traffic. [Read more…]

Resurfacing of 25 streets starts Saturday

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Resurfacing of parts of 25 Oak Ridge streets is scheduled to start Saturday.

“The project will begin on Wisconsin Avenue with repairs to correct surface and drainage problems, which will be followed by concrete work by city personnel to correct drainage problems,” a press release said. “This project will generally proceed from west to east.” [Read more…]

Rogers Group wants to expand mining, quarry through land swap

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Rogers Group Inc. wants to expand its mining and quarry operations in Oak Ridge, hoping to acquire 56 acres at the University of Tennessee Arboretum on Union Valley Road in exchange for 83 acres in Sweetwater, plus $400,000.

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture-Forest Resources Research and Education Center has already agreed to the exchange, said Mark Stephens, Rogers Group division vice president.

[Read more…]