Smitty’s Boulevard and Division Street improvements to begin next week

Beginning Monday, Aug. 26, Advanced Excavation of Moses Lake will commence preparation for a major intersection and street improvement project in Ritzville. The company was the winning bidder for the $541,188 Division Street/Smitty’s Boulevard/Bauman Road Improvement Project.

Next week the company will move in its construction equipment and begin preparing the project site. Residents can expect to witness the removal of the round planter at the intersection of Division and Baumann. Advanced Excavation is expected to place traffic control signage and conduct other preparation that will allow it to commence full construction efforts beginning on the Tuesday after Labor Day weekend.

The project will completely reconstruct the intersection, remove the large oval planter, extend streets and sidewalks to the entrance of Cow Creek Mercantile and create a free left-hand turn from Bauman Road on to Division Street.

Work on the project is estimated to be completed on or about Nov. 11.

The city’s engineering firm Varela & Associates originally estimated the project would cost $648,900. The lower bid provides a savings of $107,000.

Watch for regular weekly construction updates in The Journal as this, and other projects that will impact traffic flows, commence for the remainder of the summer and fall months.