Road work on the First Street Bridge in Saratoga will begin May 4 according to Aaron Spenny with the Woming Department of Transportation (WYDOT).
Spenny was on the town of Saratoga Town Council agenda April 21 to explain the work that will be done on the bridge, which is serviced by WYDOT. First Street is Highway 230/130 through Saratoga.
Spenny explained a signal light will located on the bridge as traffic will be down to one lane during the construction period, which is expected to last six-to-seven weeks.
Spenny explained that is was really important for drivers to understand that they need to stop on the stop lines as the sensor is located there and sends a message to the lights.
If the front car is not up to the mark, the sensor won’t recognize it and the light won’t change, said Floyd Weeks, the subcontractor working on the bridge.
The road work includes hydro demolition, which is using high pressure water jets to take the surface of the bridge deck off.
“It’s different from traditional methods from where we used to mill a deck and then listen to jackhammers for days,” Weeks said.
The process should remove one-quarter inch per side and then WYDOT will come in and check to see if there are any more bad spots, before a high strength concrete overlay is installed.
The hydro demolition will take around two days, Weeks said. The overlay will be done at night or early in the morning.
The overlay needs seven days to cure before the contractors can switch to the other side.
Work will also be done on the expansion joints under the bridge during this time, Weeks said.
In other business, Saratoga Mayor Ed Glode is developing a subcommittee for the town clean up days, which are May 2 and 3.
In other business, the town council approved the purchase of professional uniforms for the Saratoga Volunteer Fire Department. Volunteer fireman Landon McGuire had approached the council about purchasing the uniforms at the last council meeting. “First impressions are everything,” McGuire wrote in his formal request, which was read by Glode. “Representing Saratoga, not just in the community, but around the state, is something we take pride in,” McGuire wrote.
The uniforms would be used for funerals, school events and parades.
McGuire said the Saratoga Volunteer Department has worked hard to improve the service to the community.
The council approved spending $4,120 plus shipping for uniforms for the fire department.
Saratoga Police Chief Tom Knickerbocker asked the council to formerly designate Scott Stinson as the police departments chaplain. Stinson, who is the pastor of Saratoga Alliance Church, was introduced at the meeting.
Knickerbocker stressed the importance of having a department chaplain during critical incident. The Law Enforcement Academy has certified Stinson. The town council will appoint Stinson in a resolution at the next regular meeting.
Semi-tractor trailer units are still driving on Bridge Avenue illegally, Gary Widemshek reported. Widemshek said he is frustrated with the response from the Saratoga Police Department.
Knickerbocker said they are working on getting signs installed stating where the truck routes are located.
Don Sherrod said there is a different problem and that is that 33 percent of the truck drivers do not read or speak English. Sherrod said he heard reports that was part of the problem with the major crashes on Interstate 80 two weeks ago is that the drivers can’t read the signs.
“I understand a good percentage of our truck drivers are coming from Russia,” Sherrod said.
Sherrod said he knows the chief of police have been after the truck drivers and Sherrod has witnessed the trucks going down the wrong roads two or three times per week.
Recreation director Lisa Burton reported the gym floors at the Platte Valley Community Center gym are scheduled to be installed starting May 4. She said she is hoping the floors will be finished by June 10 and that some activities will still be going.
The next Saratoga Town Council meeting is May 5 at 6 p.m., at the Saratoga Town Hall.
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