Water outages expected for Hughes Avenue construction

Some Blaine residents may experience water outages as a result of the redevelopment of Hughes Avenue, which is set to begin on April 8.

Property owners will be notified with door hangers prior to the planned water outages, according to the city of Blaine’s public works department, which is coordinating the project.

The contractor’s schedule will determine the length of the water outages, but the city hopes to try and minimize them as much as possible. Water may be unavailable for large parts of the day, but should be available in the mornings and evenings so that residents can shower, cook and do other tasks.

As part of the project, RAM Construction will perform utility work, add sidewalks and reconstruct Hughes Avenue between Odell Road and Peace Portal Drive.

“This project is mainly to repair a road which is in bad condition,” said Benjamin Kuiken, civil engineer with the city of Blaine. “As part of that, we make sure that all of the utilities under the road are in good condition and adequate for our needs.”

In addition to adding sidewalks, the project will allow Hughes Avenue to better accommodate freight. “We want to realign the intersection with Peace Portal Drive so that it’s an easier turn for trucks to make, because it’s a very tight turn at the moment,” said Kuiken.

The project is a complex reconstruction effort that includes roadway realignments, bridge work, railroad coordination and other road and utility work. The project is being funded using federal highway grant money and assistance from the Washington state traffic improvement board.

Drivers in the area can expect intermittent detours and delays throughout the construction project, which is expected to take five months to complete.

“Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians encountering the construction area are encouraged to avoid the area if possible, and are asked to be patient, proceed with caution, follow all traffic signs and obey flaggers at all times,” said a March 27 press release.

“We just want to encourage our citizens to be patient,” said Kuiken. “Construction is an inconvenience, but it’s necessary and we want to make sure this project goes smoothly.”