By BROOKE STEVENSON
Sunday Times Newspapers
WYANDOTTE — The reconstruction of a portion of Oak Street is scheduled to begin next week.
Construction on Oak from Third to 11th will begin approximately April 15 and last until the end of August, City Engineer Mark Kowalewski said.
The water main under that section of road also will be replaced during construction.
“We received a grant of $670,000 from (the Michigan Department of Transportation) for the reconstruction of Oak,” Kowalewski said. “One of the requirements is that we follow the MDOT testing protocol.”
That protocol requires testing of the new subgrade and concrete that will be placed down.
Kowalewski said some of the old subgrade will be torn out, and that the new subgrade put in its place will have to be tested. Then when the concrete is poured, that also must be tested.
“It has to be a certified technician to do the testings, so that is why we solicited proposals from companies,” he said.
Somat Engineering of Detroit has been approved to perform the testing for $8,000.
Kowalewski said the road will be reconstructed in sections, and that local traffic will have access to the businesses and residences.
“It is part of our requirements that we maintain access,” he said.
The Engineering Department is applying for a another grant from federal stimulus money for construction on Oak from Biddle to Third.
“It looks like we’ll be successful with that too, and it will probably occur next year,” he said.