By Jessica Mathews/News@whmi.com


The Rickett Road pavement project in the City of Brighton starts back up today.

The City’s contractor will be finishing up the asphalt paving portion of the Rickett Road sanitary sewer project that began last summer but weather prevented from being completed. The work will require a full closure of both north and southbound Rickett Road from Grand River to the railroad tracks. As with the project last summer; businesses in the area, their customers and employees, and all residents will have access.

DPS Director Marcel Goch tells WHMI crews will begin working on structures today and the road will be closed. He says the goal is to get structures raised, get some restoration done in the greenbelts behind the curbs and then come in and mill and replace areas that need to be re-done that were initially done last year but need to get fixed. Goch says they’ll take out and replace what broke up during the winter and everything will be inspected by engineers before doing a leveling course and top coat.

Goch noted the project was a sanitary sewer repair that had to be done but by the time everything was engineered, it was decided it would be most cost effective best to just do the paving project. He says crews were very close to getting the project done last year and caught a lot of grief for not having it finished. Goch says they were ready to pave but the weather changed in November and threw a wrench in the project – first it was too much snow, then it got really cold and asphalt plants shut down so they decided to wait until spring to finish. Goch noted the paving project started out as a sanitary sewer repair. He says the large sink hole that started on the south side of the road by the railroad tracks was the same line. He says the issue was that the line was 80 years old and among areas identified for failing infrastructure. He says the sink hole started a chain of events and it was most economical to do the paving project when repairs were already taking place. Goch acknowledged that people weren’t happy with the timing but said the project had to get done because if it failed and the second area sunk and caved in, then they would have had a lot more trouble and more in-depth work.

Goch estimates work will take about two weeks and says they’re hoping for completion in mid-May but everything is weather dependent. With reduced traffic and the Governor’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order in effect, Goch said this is an opportune time to get the project done and they appreciate the patience of residents, businesses and motorists.