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Laidlaw pedestrian project finally underway

This Urban Road Maintenance District (URMD) Safety Improvement project will construct a widened paved shoulder on the north side of Laidlaw, install an aluminum pedestrian bridge, and a will include separated pathway at the project's west end. Although it was approved for construction in 2014, the project encountered several obstacles along the way.

The aluminum bridge was built offsite

According to County Project Manager Zachary Morris, “The biggest challenge of the project has been the design of the pedestrian bridge and its foundations, along with how to convey storm water in its vicinity. Finalizing this design took longer than anticipated earlier in the year. This project has by far been the most complicated out of the group of projects with which it was selected.”

He continued, “The changes Clean Water Services wanted were significant, so we had to meet with them to discuss a different approach. Then the plans had to get updated. So instead of going to bid in early May, the project didn’t go to bid until June 16. The bid was awarded to GT General Contracting on June 28.

Construction finally began earlier this month. Flaggers will control single-lane closures 8:30 am-4:30 pm weekdays through September 2. Starting September 6, work hours will be 9:15 am-3 pm to avoid school traffic.

The contract calls for substantial completion by September 16. Work on seeding establishment may go on after that date.

The exact route and extent of the project, moving west to east, all on the north side of Laidlaw, is: from approximately 150 feet east of NW 140th Avenue to the ravine where the pedestrian bridge will be installed, it will be a five-foot-wide concrete separated pathway. Crossing the ravine will be an aluminum pedestrian bridge with a six-foot inside surface. From the east side of the pedestrian bridge the path will be a five-foot-wide wide asphalt widened shoulder.

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