March 23 Update

We encountered unexpected problems with the water main today between 460 N. Oak Harbor Street and Whidbey Ave. While installing new storm drain pipe it was found that there were old fittings on the Oak Harbor Street water main that compromised the strength of the main and started to leak. Consequently we were forced to shut down part of the main without prior notice to our customers. We apologize for this inconvenience and recognize that the impacts to people are significant. City Water Department staff is working with the Contractor to restore water service at this time; water should be restored by 5:00 pm.




Asphalt demolition (grinding) over the entire project should be completed by the end of the day today. Sidewalk demolition on the east side of the street and storm drain installation will continue tomorrow.



Arnie Peterschmidt

March 22 Update

Work in the traveled portion of Oak Harbor Street began in earnest today. The primary work activities are demolition of the existing street and installation of new underground utilities in the street. Pavement grinding and storm drain installation is occurring between Whidbey Ave and NE 7th Ave. There were multiple work crews each working in a separate area of the project with lane closures at each site all day. The work sites are busy places, most have heavy earth moving or pavement grinding machines working and dump trucks coming and going.


Expect more of the same type and level of construction activity and traffic restrictions through Thursday afternoon. Pavement demolition and storm drain installation will progress north day by day. The existing sidewalks along the east side of Oak Harbor Street will also be demolished and removed.  Local access will be maintained but the flow of traffic will be interrupted frequently by lane restrictions and equipment movement. Please be cautious driving through the construction zone. The road surface will be rough and irregular. Men and machines will be constantly moving in the roadway and work continues and the work sites will change frequently.

Arnie Peterschmidt

                                Storm drain installation near St. Augustine Catholic Church

March 2 Update

Construction of the Oak Harbor Street Improvement Project is begining this week.  The first work to be done on site is relocation of utility poles.  Potelco, an affiliate company to Puget Sound Energy will be installing several new utility poles between now and March 10.  Please watch for construction zones and temporary traffic control when passing through the project area.

We anticipate that G & G Excavation, Inc., the general contractor, will mobilize to the site early next week and begin work. Reconstructing the road will require that lanes and sometimes the entire street be temporarily closed.  There will often be only a single lane open with vehicle traffic alternating direction in the remaining lane.  Expect frequent delays and changes to lanes and the road surface during construction.  It is recommended that through traffic avoid Oak Harbor Street north of Whidbey Avenue while work is in progress.  The recommended alternate routes are Heller and Goldie streets.

Local access will be maintained during construction as will access by emergency vehicles.

This blog will be updated regularly during the construction period.