Busy summer ahead for road construction in Cypress County

Photo by Justin Seward - Brooks Asphalt and Aggregate was busy digging up S. Railway Ave. in Irvine on May 31. The project includes replacing water lines and resurfacing the road. The project is expected to last until the end of July.

By Justin Seward
Construction has broke ground  in Cypress County in what looks to be a busy summer ahead for maintenance in the area.
The Brooks Asphalt and Aggregate excavators officially started the season  on May 24 when they started digging up the Irvine streets south of the railroad tracks to replace the sanitary sewer lines, water lines and improve the surface drainage system on the roads.
“A couple years ago the roads were starting to wear down,” said Jamie Garland, Cypress County’s operations supervisor.
“Then we were looking at repairing the roads but then we got thinking and we had better look at what’s underneath the road and makes sure that stuff is in good shape. We started looking at the water and sewer lines in Irvine. They were getting pretty old and dated and had some sag in some of the sewer lines.”
Brooks Asphalt and Aggregate superintendent Ron Davis said in the first week everything has gone according to plan.
“All the materials are good and everything is fine,” said Davis.
“Everybody is great in this town.”
Completion of the project will be at the end of July.
Range Road 70 is currently a steep hill leading down to Parramatta Estates and the county will be taking out the hill and realigning the road.
“That’s a major project for there and  better access into that area,” said Garland. “There’ll be some major earthwork and basically straightening the road out for a better angle going down.”
The timeline has not been set because there are utilities that have to be shifted around and more details to be confirmed.
The county is also doing an in-house collaboration with Seven Persons for re-oiling all the oil surface roads with their own trucks in the hamlet.
“We’ve handed out flyers to residents there and ask for their cooperation on the roads while we’re doing this stuff,” said Garland.
Re-oiling will commence on June 19 and will run for a month.
Garland said will these road projects, it is  always important to keep the infrastructure in good shape because the county makes a plan each year to recognize those projects that need updates.
The hamlet of Suffield is getting all the roads with water lines replaced and construction got underway last week where  of the roads will be effected but no all of them. Repaving got underway last week.
There will be traffic accommodation plans and each area for the locals to access major routes or other parts of the hamlets while construction is ongoing.