NEWBERG, Ore. — North Main Street will undergo construction for nearly a month, according to the City of Newberg website.
Construction is scheduled from Nov. 3 to 27 but may be delayed because of inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances, according to a press release from the city. Work will occur overnight from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. One lane will be open, with flaggers directing traffic during those hours.
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According to senior project manager Trevis Smith of Keller Associates, the engineering firm contracted by the City of Newberg, the cast iron water main that sits under North Main Street has an “extensive history of leaks” that caused engineers to prioritize replacement.
Outside of the main line replacement, the project will also include tie-in connections to existing water services and water branch connections; fire hydrants, air release valves, and flushing assemblies; asphalt restoration; and the abandonment or removal of existing mains and services.
The 6-inch-diameter cast iron pipe will be replaced with an 8-inch-diameter ductile iron water main alongside the existing alignment, Smith said.
According to U.S. Pipe, ductile and cast iron pipes are nearly identical chemically, but ductile iron is significantly stronger because of a different carbon structure. Cast iron’s carbon structure appears as flakes, which provide opportunities for cracking and degradation. Ductile iron’s carbon structure is more spherical, which provides a stronger bond and fewer breaking points.
Construction will begin at 7 p.m. Nov. 3, an hour before the ballot drop boxes close that night at 8 p.m.
City of Newberg interim public information officer Emily Salsbury said those looking to vote before ballots close should plan for delays. There are two other ballot drop boxes in Newberg: outside the Newberg Public Safety Building on Third Street and outside Portland Community College’s Newberg Center at 135 Werth Blvd.
Because the work will take place at night, the city is reminding drivers to slow down near the construction area for the safety of workers.
For more information and updates about the Main St. water main pipe replacement, visit the City of Newberg’s project page.
In a separate announcement Monday, the city said the closure of Springbrook Road near the Nagomi at Springbrook subdivision will be extended, according to a city social media post. The closure, which the city’s project page said would begin Sept. 8 and last approximately 65 days, between North Benjamin Road and East Mountainview Drive, could end as early as Dec. 4 but may extend to Dec. 18, the city said.
The city said the delay is because of factors outside contractors’ control but did not specify what those factors are. Local access will be maintained where possible, and drivers should follow posted detour signs, according to the city. The closure supports construction of Nagomi at Springbrook, a 100-lot single-family subdivision near The Allison Inn & Spa.
Questions can be directed to the city’s engineering department at engineering@newbergoregon.gov or 503-554-8851.
