Construction updates: Work underway to repair the sewer main along South Shore Drive

The city of Albert Lea reports the following project updates:

• Sewer main repair: Contracted crews are working to repair the break in the sewer main along South Shore Drive that carries wastewater from Albert Lea to the treatment plant southeast of the city. They expect to complete a bypass early next week. Then crews can remove and replace the broken section. A detour for South Shore Drive will remain in place until this project is completed.

• Fountain Lake habitat (Shell Rock River Watershed District project): The contractor continues to place rock reefs for fish habitat, totaling around 500 tons of material to date.

• Fairlane Terrace area: The contractor started the asphalt layer this week and expects to finish it early next week. The only work remaining after that will be placing sod on all disturbed areas.

• Spicer Road reconstruction and watermain: The contractor placed the first of two asphalt layers this week. It does not have a definite schedule yet for placing the final layer, but residents will have full access to their driveways. The sod work will likely take place next week with the rest of the neighborhood area.

• Greenwood Drive resurfacing and sidewalk: The contractor still does not have a definite schedule for doing this project.

• Seventh Street reconstruction: No work took place this week.

• Winter Avenue reconstruction: Work this week focused on replacing a deep sanitary sewer manhole and the watermain in the intersection with Fountain Street. Crews plan to finish this work early next week, and then begin the sanitary sewer replacement working from Fountain Street to the north.

• Downtown alley reconstruction: Work continued this week on the alleys between William and Main Street and between Main and College Street. Crews hope to finish these alleys next week and then begin work on the alley between Clark Street and Elizabeth Avenue.

• Chip sealing: The Albert Lea Street Department plans to start chip sealing Monday on streets around Valley Avenue and Johnson Street, followed by areas along west Fountain Street; Virginia Place, Fifth Street and 10th Street; and Crystal Drive. Crews will put up “no parking” signs ahead of the work and ask residents to use off-street parking if possible. Chip sealing is a thin film of heated asphalt sprayed on the road, followed by the placement of small rock chips. The chips are then compacted to stick to the road, with excess swept from the surface. This protects the pavement from the effects of sun and water, increases skid resistance, fills small cracks and other surface defects. It also extends the life of the asphalt.

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