Bastogne Avenue construction expected to wrap up by Aug. 1
Workers from Double A Services pour concrete July 18 at a sidewalk near the Fort Campbell Exchange as part of the ongoing roadwork on Bastogne Avenue. The project is intended to improve road conditions and safety for Soldiers and Families, and the Fort Campbell Directorate of Public Works is aiming for an Aug. 1 completion date.
A worker from Double A Services paves areas surrounding a portion of Bastogne Avenue July 18 as part of ongoing roadwork in the area. The project is intended to improve road conditions and safety for Soldiers and Families, and the Fort Campbell Directorate of Public Works is aiming for an Aug. 1 completion date.
Workers from Rogers Group near the finishing stages of roadwork on Bastogne Avenue July 18. The Fort Campbell Directorate of Public Works began the project April 18 based on road evaluation data and are expecting to have the roadways ready and open for traffic by Aug. 1.
Traffic on post has been impacted by the repaving project on Bastogne Avenue since April 18, but the Fort Campbell Directorate of Public Works, or DPW, expects the roadway to reopen in safer condition for pedestrians and vehicles alike by Aug. 1.
Workers have spent the last several months repaving 1.12 miles of road running from the intersection of 42nd Street and Indiana Avenue to Screaming Eagle Boulevard and are currently in the final stages of the project.
“I’d say we’re 85-90% through,” said Josh Bukatz, an engineer with DPW. “We’re putting the final surface treatment on [July 15]. After that there will be some cleanup work, backfilling and just dressing everything. We’ll be replacing some signs, striping the actual roadway and hydroseeding it to hopefully get some grass growing.”
Bukatz said DPW started working to repair Bastogne Avenue after routine evaluations showed the roadway was potentially a safety concern.
“At DPW we get road evaluations done and those let us know what the pavement condition is or what it could be in the next few years,” he said. “The other reason is that pretty much anyone that’s traveled down Bastogne knows about the pockets and potholes in front of the KFC. We’re addressing that and we think it’s more of a [foundation-related] issue than the pavement in that specific area.”
Blaine Lynch, an engineer with DPW, said fixing the potholes is a high priority because the area borders one of the installation’s residential neighborhoods.
“Safety is important, especially on Bastogne Avenue in the winter,” he said in a previous interview with the Fort Campbell Courier. “If a driver hits one of those potholes, the driver could lose control of the vehicle and it’s in a residential area. Anytime there are pavement failures, there’s the potential for safety hazards.”
Workers also have been creating a network of sidewalks in the area to promote pedestrian safety and keep water from pooling on the road.
“It’s been a directive to try to get more sidewalk networks on the installation, especially in the cantonment area,” Bukatz said. “That’s another reason why you see more sidewalks on Bastogne now is to tie all that into our network, and the other reason is to improve the underground drainage networks that are in that area.”
Until the project is completed, drivers are asked to continue slowing down and watching for detours as they travel on the installation, and to allow extra travel time on their way in to work.
“We want to make the roadways safer and that’s the biggest reason why we concentrate on doing what we do,” Bukatz said. “We’ve put quite a bit of thought into the overall safety for not only the Soldiers and Families but for everybody who travels on the installation. Hopefully with a newer and fresher look, it brightens that area for the community.”
