School (work) zone

Going back to school is always a challenge, but for some Jay County students it will a little trickier than usual.

That's because work on improvements to Boundary Pike and South Wayne Street in Portland is running just a little behind schedule.

Already nearly a year and a half old, the project is expected to be complete by Oct. 1 if all goes well. But at the moment, access to East Jay Middle School is going to be complicated.

Engineer Herb Berg of Bonar and Adam Hertel of Brooks Construction said buses dropping off students at East Jay Monday morning will turn onto South Wayne from East Water Street and will be on a stone surface for a short distance before taking an asphalt ramp into the parking area at the south end of the newest section of the building near the football field.

Buses will then exit the parking area via River Road onto the South Wayne Street bridge over the Salamonie River. South Wayne is open from the bridge to Elder Street, Hertel said.

East Jay principal Lee Newman said parents dropping off students at East Jay will need to enter the parking lot from South Meridian Street near the concrete arch bridge.

They can then drop off students at the west side of the building and must exit by the alley that takes them north to Water Street.

That alley has two-way traffic. "And it's tight," said Newman.

He noted that school personnel dealt with similar conditions during summer school and will be providing traffic control.

The situation is largely temporary. Hertel noted that Brooks hopes to be paving South Wayne by the school on Monday, so that asphalt should be awaiting buses when they arrive for students in the afternoon.

Similar traffic concerns near General Shanks Elementary School are beginning to sort themselves out.

"The entrance is just curing," said Hertel. He expects barricades to come down on Monday morning about 6:30 a.m.

"They assured us it will be business as usual for us on Monday," said Shanks principal Michael Eads.

Berg noted that traffic to Shanks must come from the north.

The entrance off Boundary will be open, as will the exit onto Floral Avenue. But it will not be possible to enter the parking lot from Floral.

Pavement south from the school on Boundary is still torn up, Berg said.

While the new pavement and curb and gutter are visible aspects of the project, Berg said more than three miles of new sanitary sewer, water mains, and storm sewer have been installed.

The new separated sewer system is expected to solve drainage problems in that part of town and relieve pressure on the city's wastewater treatment plant during times of heavy rain.

"We want to thank everybody for their cooperation," said Berg.

He also advised that in those areas where new sod has been installed property owners should delay mowing. The sod is bluegrass, and it can scorch in dry, hot weather.[[In-content Ad]]