The downtown Carson Street construction project is being revised to avoid a 10-day street closure in the fall.
Initially, the project contractor planned to close down the road the length of the entire project, from William to 5th streets, in order to repave it after replacing the water and sewer line and widening the sidewalks.
After pushback from area businesses, Q&D Construction Inc., the contractor, Lumos & Associates, the engineering firm, and Carson City Public Works staff came up with an alternative to shut down three sections of the road at different times for two days each.
In addition, there will be five- to six-days during which the contractor will work at night, from about 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., on the road sections, according to Jeff Bean, vice president, Q&D.
The change will shorten the project’s timeline at no additional cost, said Danny Rotter, Public Works engineering manager, at a public meeting attended by about 50 people Monday afternoon at the Alatte Coffee, Wine and Deli in the Carson Nugget.
The sections will be from William to Robinson streets, which will close down for two days in June; Robinson to Musser streets, which will close down in August; and Musser to 5th streets, which will be shut down in October.
The reason for the original, 10-day closure was because Q&D planned to use a cement mixture and asphalt that required leaving the road untouched for a longer period.
Q&D is now going to use an aggregate mix which allows the repaved road to be used sooner, said Bean.
“The end result is the same lifespan and allows us to do it in smaller segments,” he said after the meeting.
The Bob McFadden Plaza on 3rd Street between Carson and Curry streets may open in phases.
The first part to be completed will be the new patio at The Firkin & Fox, which had to be removed and rebuilt to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Then the stage at the southwest corner of the property, which is about halfway done, will be finished and could open earlier than the rest of the plaza if needed.
A grand opening, including a dedication with Bob McFadden’s family, will take place in late July, said Bean.
“I think that’s a big thing that needs to be finished. Everyone here would leave you alone after that,” said Bob Thrower, a resident who asked about the timeline on the plaza.
Thrower said after the meeting that the plaza will immediately help businesses downtown now struggling due to the construction.
“People will hang out there and people will start to come downtown again,” said Thrower.
Another attendee asked about Epic Rides, the mountain bike race coming to Carson City June 17-19.
Rotter said the city is coordinating with the race’s producer, meeting with them regularly and planning to have a portion of the plaza open for pedestrians for the event.