Sewer work enters home stretch

By Cameron Rasmusson
Reader Staff

Heavy construction machinery made its way to Cedar Street this week as the sewer lateral replacement progressed in downtown Sandpoint.

First Avenue was closed this week from Main Street to Cedar Street at Second Avenue while crews, operating heavy equipment, dug up street surfaces to replace sewer laterals. The stretch of road was closed to motorists but open to pedestrians, with the intersection of Second and Cedar closed while the new and old sewer systems were connected.

Construction crewmembers continue sewer work on First Ave and Cedar St. Photo by Lyndsie Kiebert.

Cedar Street between Fifth and Second received a host of new ornamentation this week as workers installed concrete sidewalks, pavers, signage and street furniture. New sidewalk benches are also being rolled out, although the placement is only temporary. However, landscaping work is postponed until the first week of October while irrigation completes.

“In the meantime, the concrete seat walls around the stormwater swales will be dressed up with an architectural finish,” Sandpoint Public Works Director Amanda Wilson wrote in a construction update. “Street lights at each intersection will be installed in early October.”

As for Oak Street, the only remaining work will cover street lights and pedestrian signals at the intersection of Fifth and Oak, hydroseeding, striping and signs. And on Ella Avenue, traffic-calming street tables are in the process of being installed.