The Central High School Board got several construction project related updates at its Tuesday meeting, including:
- The district has heard from the state Department of Transportation that the school officially will not be responsible for upgrading the Highway 50 and Highway 83/75 intersection because of the school’s recent facilities expansion project. The state had been saying the school’s plan to divert all traffic to a new access road on Highway 83 meant the district would be responsible for improvements to the intersection. The school district modified that plan to send some traffic out the current access on Highway 50 and some onto Highway 83, which brought the change from the DOT.
- After a rained out false start last week, asphalt paving to help finish off the sports facility construction project is set to begin Wednesday, the School Board heard. Tim Drewry of the project’s general contractor Camosy Construction said the paving will be the finishing touch on several aspects of the project. “The paver will be out here until we’re done,” Drewry said. “We’re still pushing to be out of here late June.”
- A contractor who will install a finished track surface in the stadium is expecting to begin its two-week job in early June, Drewry said.
- The surface on the new tennis courts is expected to be one of the last aspects under Camosy’s supervision to be completed. The courts may not be ready for play until sometime in July, Drewry said.
- The board got an update from its traffic engineers regarding the Highway 83 access road intersection and a reworking of the western access onto Highway 50, which is at 248th Avenue. The Highway 83 intersection will include a right turn lane for northbound traffic and a left turn lane for southbound traffic entering the school. The present access on Highway 50 at approximatively 248th Avenue will be reconstructed to not allow left hand turns from Highway 50 and allow only inbound turns from the west and outbound turns to the east. Engineer Mark Eberle said the ideal start date for the projects would be June 8, but the Highway 83 work might be delayed due to the interweaving of the intersection work with sidewalk work being done by Salem delaying DOT approvals. He could not give an estimated completion date.
- The board approved contracts with Payne and Dolan for $254,000 for the Highway 83 intersection and $50,406 for the Highway 50 intersection work.
A view of the plans for modifying the Central High School western Highway 50 exit/entrance.
