Yachats is going to see more new asphalt during the next two months than it has in years.
On Monday, Aug. 3 workers with Devils Lake Rock Co. of Lincoln City will begin work on a $103,000 project to install a storm drain system, rebuild the road base and pave a 240-foot section of West First Street west from its intersection with Pontiac Street.
The only people affected by the project are homes along the street.
After Labor Day, Devils Lake Rock begins up to five weeks of work on a project that will be much more disruptive – rebuilding and paving the one-way portion of East Second Street from its intersection with Prospect Street to U.S. Highway 101.
That $90,000 project is being paid for by a grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation.
The East Second Street project will mean big disruptions during the work to parking on that street, used heavily by clients and employees of the Drift Inn.
The city of Yachats says parking and traffic on East Second Street will be shut down during construction but open to traffic and some parking in the evenings.
Residents of East Second east of Prospect Street will have to use other streets leading to Yachats River Road before accessing U.S. Highway 101.
“We do care about the disruption for businesses but we have this short window of construction and paving time after the main tourist season and before rains hit,” said Rick McClung, who heads up street projects for the city.
Also in September, Lincoln County plans to pave – the dates are uncertain until bids are approved – 1,000-foot portions of Ocean View Drive north and east from Yachats State Park. The paving and other work are part of an agreement with the city of Yachats before the county turns ownership of the road over to the city.
It’s been several years since the city initiated any street paving.
McClung is still trying to find money – he’s applied for an ODOT grant – to pave the section of road behind the 501 Building that links the Commons and West Sixth Street.
