DELMAR — Work on the Delaware Avenue Streetscape Enhancement project, extending from Kenwood Avenue to Elsmere Avenue, is still on schedule to be mostly complete by the end of the year, according to Bethlehem’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Works Paul Penman.
“I think the question that everyone wants to know is if it will be done this year,” said Penman. “The answer is yes.”
Noting that the town contracted to have the bulk of the project completed by Friday, Nov. 10, Penman acknowledged that town officials had initially hoped to hit that mark a month earlier.
“We’ve had some delays in the project and the contractor has asked for an extension of time by about two weeks, but we still plan on getting it all done this year.”
Penman said that many of the project’s larger pieces should be done by the end of October, such as the roads, sidewalks, curbs and lighting. In November, workers will be focusing on things like hauling and seeding topsoil, landscaping, installing trash receptacles, and imprinting asphalt. Minor finishing touches, such as reseeding, additional landscaping and minor repairs are likely to be required next spring.
Detours are expected to remain in place throughout November, said Penman, unless the contractor, who has agreed to pick up extra shifts and work on Saturdays, manages to make up for the time that has been lost due to weather and other unforeseen occurrences, such as a random culvert workers found buried along the route earlier that day.
Weather, Penman said, is the wild card.
“If we get a lot of rain storms, that can eat up production days,” he said. “But I’m still confident that we’ll have it done by the end of November.”
