135th reconstruction on track for Wednesday completion
Westbound lanes between Holmes Road to Oak Street to reopen
By Tyler Schneider
JM Fahey Construction is on track to complete the first phase of 135th Street reconstruction by Wednesday, April 15, according to an update from Vickie Wolgast, District Manager of the Martin City Community Improvement District.
“They have completed all the concrete base and are waiting on the concrete to gain strength so they can install the asphalt surface. They should have the strength results by Tuesday. If everything is good, they will lay asphalt next Wednesday and open the road back up,” Wolgast said last Friday.
The JM Fahey crew began working on the project on Monday, March 30. Since then, alternating lanes on 135th between Holmes Road to Oak Street have remained closed to traffic. The work was originally expected to be completed by Monday, April 13.
The need to resurface the road after just two years fell largely on the shoulders of an antagonist Kansas Citians have long struggled against: potholes.
“They needed to resurface portions of it in areas where the concrete had failed. Rain and freezing has created many potholes that have been in need of repair,” Wolgast explained.
The construction proposal had obviously been approved prior to anyone’s knowledge of the COVID-19 crisis timeline, which now has most of America staying in their homes. Area establishments like Jess & Jim’s Steakhouse, Jack Stack, RC’s Chicken and the Martin City Brewing Company are still serving takeout/curbside orders amidst the street closure.
“It’s not ideal, but hopefully it’ll be over quickly and on time so that the road will be all completed before everyone can start to go outside again. We’d rather have it get done now, when the roads are a lot less busy,” Jess & Jim’s owner Debbie VanNoy said.
For the time being, VanNoy and her staff are taking it week-by-week as far as deciding the hours they’ll stay open for curbside pickup orders.
“If we come in tomorrow and if it seems like it’s not going to get finished on time, then we may look at cutting some hours. For now, we’ll remain open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.” VanNoy said.