Construction update: Cleveland Avenue job under way, Oak Point finished

These days, a trip down Cleveland Avenue can mean waiting in line.

Workers from Precision Paving in Milan have milled the asphalt there and will soon start giving the road -- one of Amherst's primary routes -- a fresh coat.

For now, that means drivers can expect long delays and backups, not only under Cleveland Avenue's shady stretch around Washington Street, St. Joseph Church, and Maude Neiding Park, but also at the Leavitt Road intersection.

Cars there were stopped and line back to the post office entrance during certain hours last week as heavy machinery jutted into the crossway.

Precision Paving of Milan has been hired to rework Cleveland Avenue as well as humps in the asphalt on Leavitt. Flaggers have been keeping a path open during daylight hours on the first, while working overnight on the second.

"The weather's been good so far. We're on schedule," mayor David Taylor said.

Both projects need to be finished by Aug. 20 so that buses and pedestrians can get through. The first day at St. Joseph School is Aug. 23 (a partial day with no kindergarten or busing), and the first day for the public schools is Aug. 24.

Fixing faulty catchbasins is on the agenda this week, with Precision Paving putting down a first bed of asphalt slated for next week if weather holds. The National Weather Service is forecasting isolated thunderstorms today and overnight with mostly sunny skies for the following six days.

Meanwhile, crews have finished repaving on Oak Point Road around the Rt. 2 overpass in front of Target, except for minor striping, Taylor said.

Other streets getting patch and paving jobs this summer include Jackson Street, Shady Drive, Terra Lane, Birch Lane, Seeley Avenue, West Martin Avenue, and Valley Drive.