Lyons town staff

Redstone Review

LYONS – The unusually cold weather is delightful for the ice skaters in Meadow Park, but the rest of us are struggling to deal with the snow and cold that Mother Nature has inflicted on our Main Street Project. Seven snow storms and temperatures that are much lower than average are having major impact on the construction schedule. The project is more than 75 percent complete, and even though more snow and cold is predicted for tomorrow, work will proceed.

The electrical subcontractor can work through the cold to install conduit to the new light pole bases—they have about 10 days of work left. The poles have been delivered. Workers are almost finished re-setting the flagstone curbing, which must be complete before new sidewalks can be poured.

Sidewalk replacement is the biggest challenge  – concrete should not be poured in temperatures that would jeopardize the integrity of the concrete, and even removal of existing sidewalk is affected by the unusual depth of the frost at this time of year. Soil warming equipment, blankets, and lots of hot coffee are keeping the remaining sidewalk work going.

The signal at Fourth Avenue and Main Street was tested on January 5, and all signals will be operational as soon as CDOT inspects them.

CDOT will be closing Colorado Highway 34 early in February to replace a bridge, and the detours in Lyons must be completely open by then, with all striping, signage and lighting installed to permit clear access to Estes Park. So, even though there was some discussion of suspending construction until spring, work on the Lyons project will continue (except for landscaping). As one business owner remarked, “If it wasn’t for the weather, the project would be done.”

It will still be fabulous when it’s done, and . . . better weather is predicted for next week!

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