The City of West Linn is scheduled to begin an improvement project on the south side of Blankenship Rd. between Albertsons and the west side of Virginia Lane. The project aims largely to enhance the pedestrian/bicycle connectivity and safety in the area and should be a great benefit to the neighborhood. The project consists of 2 major phases. Residents should expect construction related delays in the area during both phases.
Phase One
Is the undergrounding of overhead utility lines and the removal of existing poles. During this phase the contractor will be trenching at the south edge of the roadway to install conduits and vaults for utility wires. There will be some minor construction related traffic delays and it is requested that all pedestrians use the sidewalk on the far side of the street.
Phase Two
Is the actual street improvement work and involves the widening of the south side of Blankenship Rd. to accommodate a bike lane, installation of a retaining wall at the corner of 13th and Blankenship, installation of sidewalk where none currently exists, 2 improved crosswalks across Blankenship Rd. and 1 across 13th St., installation of a pedestrian activated crosswalk signal and new streetlights.
The contractor, Camrock Excavating, will start to mobilize onsite Monday, 2/8/2010. The trenching and installation of underground conduits should take approximately one month. PGE, Comcast, and Qwest will then install new wires within the underground system and remove the overhead wires and poles. The switchover work should last an additional month. These utility companies will notify residents directly of any planned service interruptions during the switchover. Phase two is aniticipated to start mid-June and be completed by the end of August.
Information and Assistance
For any information or assistance during this project please contact the City Engineering Department at (503)722-5501.
If an emergency construction-related issue arises after hours or on the weekend please call (503)656-6081 and follow the instructions.
This project is funded jointly by ODOT and the City of West Linn, and is performed in close cooperation with PGE, Comcast, and Qwest utility companies.