By KYLE ODEGARD
For the Democrat-Herald | Posted: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 12:00 am
CORVALLIS - A backhoe growled and ripped up chunks of road near the Oregon State University campus as a $2 million project to widen and rebuild 14th and 15th streets roared into full gear Monday.
So far, the pavement has been torn apart just south of Monroe Avenue to Campus Way. Work should progress toward Jefferson Avenue by the end of the week. It will include clearing area for sidewalks and demolition of existing street and curbs, said Mike Blair, an OSU civil engineering manager.
The project, a joint endeavor between OSU and the city, will add bike lanes, new sidewalks and cut-out lanes for bus traffic. Blair said widening the narrow and often-congested stretch of roadway was overdue, as was rebuilding the street itself, which is failing.
"The road is in such disrepair. We've been trying to Band-Aid it along for years."
To accomplish the improvements, 29 trees in the way of construction were removed, starting Friday. "They weren't all big old trees. Some of them were small," Blair said. Sweet gums, which aren't considered a decent street tree anymore because they drop seed pods and their roots push up sidewalks, were the dominant variety removed.
Jagged stumps were left in the wake of the demolition phase of the project at Monroe Avenue near 14th Street and Jefferson Avenue near 15th Street.
"I'm not terribly happy they're taking out all these trees," said Jean Dick of Corvallis, a graduate student in music education. She also was frustrated with the orange fencing and heavy machinery blocking her route from Monroe Avenue to Benton Hall.
"I live just down the street, and it's a huge hassle to get to my building … Today's the first day of summer term. People are coming to class, and they can't even get onto campus."
However, Dick said that she understood the need to improve and widen 14th and 15th streets. "It's not really that safe for bicyclists and pedestrians."
Matt Leyden of Los Angeles, who was visiting OSU, said the construction zone wasn't a problem. "I just walked around it."
Fourteenth and 15th Streets near campus actually are the same street, but because of the diagonal route, the roadway has different names at different locations. It's the main street along the east side of campus, with its route passing classroom buildings, dormitories, parking lots and park space.
The project will include raised intersections at Jefferson, as well as a gateway to the heart of campus on the west side of 15th, near Kerr Administration Building, the center of the university.
Eventually, 40 new trees will replace the old ones along the project's length.
University officials had hoped to start the project at the end of May, but outcry regarding lack of public comment stalled construction. Although the project had long been part of the campus master plan, a public hearing wasn't scheduled until almost immediately before work was to begin.
A hearing was held May 20, and some residents complained about the loss of trees or the street being widened, saying it was for the benefit of cars. However, proponents said the project would keep bicyclists and pedestrians safer.
The council unanimously approved the plan on June 2, although the project was adjusted to retain some additional trees.
Fourteenth and 15th streets are scheduled to be open for traffic during da Vinci Days in mid-July, but the route likely will be gravel.
However, the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and 15th Street is set to close for about a month, starting in mid-July. Blair Paving is expected to be finished before classes start in late September, with the anticipated final completion - including new landscaping - expected in mid-October.
OSU will fund the majority of the project, with the city contributing $227,000 in transportation systems development charges.
Kyle Odegard covers Oregon State University. He can be contacted at kyle.odegard@lee.net or 758-9523.