Much progress continues despite the weather. Cold temperatures are a hinderance to the progress of the work. Blankets are used to keep the ground from freezing before placing concrete and asphalt. Freshly placed concrete is covered with blankets to keep it from freezing until sufficiently hardened. The workers are most affected by the harsh cold. It is harder to move and work wearing heavy clothes and winter gloves. Rain and snow are actually much worse than cold. Precipitation results in mud and unstable ground and that will have an impact on the progress of the work. When the ground gets saturated, it takes much longer to dry than when the sun is shining brightly and temperatures are warm.
New storm sewer installation continues to the east and should be to Oxford Street by Thanksgiving. Finding old, unknown, existing storm sewers has become a common occurrence. Every time an unexpected sewer line is found it must be explored to determine if it is still an active sewer that must be fit into the new sewer line. The City’s Utilities Department has been very helpful in investigating old sewers. Many times they have brought their camera equipment out and run a camera the length of the existing line. The existing line is connected to the new system if it is found to be still operational.