Ephrata to start paving around courthouse

EPHRATA - Paving around the Grant County Courthouse is expected to start after July 4.

City Administrator Wes Crago reported on the progress of the fourth phase of Ephrata's road and water pipe replacement project. Chinook Winds, a Yakima-based company, is presently working on the $2.2 million project to replace aging water pipes and repave roads in the northwest section of the city.

"We are really concentrating on everything south of First Avenue," he said. "We're on schedule still. We've crested the halfway point and we're about halfway done. It feels anecdotally like maybe we should be a little further along and have more services hooked up, but there is a lot of slack left to do that."

The contractor focused on south of First Avenue while school was in session, Crago said. It worked in keeping the construction away from the schools, but it did lead to some issues for the company.

"They've got a lot of trenches to maintain. That can be difficult to do, and (we) had some very frank and very productive meetings with the contractor on that, and I think people will be a lot happier with the way things look during this week and from now on," he said.

Next week the company will focus south of First Avenue, and the company is going to start paving First Avenue, Crago said. He expects paving First Avenue to take a few days.

"It's a heavy-duty roadbed going in," he said. "Concrete is actually added to the gravel and the soil. It will make for a much stronger road when it's done, but it will take a little longer to do that."

The project is proceeding well, Crago said.

Public Works Director Bill Sangster expects paving to start right after July 4.

"By July 9, I think you'll be paved at least on C Street and First Avenue," he said. "That should alleviate a lot of the traffic in that area, hopefully."