Phase 3A1 hits the roads

A miller machine dumps asphalt into a truck on Hollett St. last Wednesday, as the first significant work began on Phase 3A1. BELOW: A Keck Tree Service truck can be seen Wednesday through an opening of a downed tree on Harvey St. — one of more than 30 trees that were felled last week as part of the City of Tracy’s Phase 3A1 Infrastructure Project. Photos / Per Peterson

Normally quiet, tranquil residential streets in town were anything but last Wednesday morning.

On one block, mighty trees were coming down from various boulevards — first branch-by-branch, then the remaining massive leftovers, big enough to block entire streets (more than 30 trees were removed from the construction areas, including a small number from Central Park). On another block, a machine called a miller was grinding up old asphalt to make way for the digging necessary to access old sewer lines that will be replaced as part of the City’s Phase 3A1 infrastructure improvement project that got underway last week after a number of delays.

Everything seemed to have gone smoothly the first week of heavy road work, which is being done by Duininck Inc..

The work done last week basically was the first step in the process. Besides tree removal and milling on Hollett from 4th to Center streets, crews worked to remove sidewalks, driveway aprons and curbs in that area. Installation of new utilities began Monday at the intersection of Center and Hollett. ISG said getting work on the sanitary sewer, water main and storm sewer at the intersection is important so Center can get re-opened in a timely fashion.

See this week’s Headlight Herald for more on this article.