Crews encountered unexpected problems Tuesday afternoon while working on the4 water infrastructure project.
Crews with Fayetteville Public Utilities (FPU) have closed the intersection of Lincoln Avenue South and Washington Street as major infrastructure repairs get underway. FPU CEO and General Manager Britt Dye explained that the closure is necessary after crews uncovered significant issues with decades-old stormwater basins beneath the roadway.
“We’ve got several big hand-laid rock basins where four or five storm drains all run into one,” Dye said Tuesday afternoon at the work site. “It’s some of the finest rock work you’ve ever seen, but it’s become a problem. This infrastructure is just so old, and it has to be fixed correctly.”
The repair work involves digging across both Washington Street and Lincoln Avenue, Dye said. Complicating matters, utility lines run directly through the basins, he said. “We’ve got a water line running right through the middle of one and a gas line through another,” Dye explained. “We think we’re going to hit another one of these big basins just across Lincoln.”
Because of the complexity, the project will take more than a simple patch job, Dye said. Special-order concrete tiles will be needed, extending the closure into at least Wednesday and possibly beyond, he said.
“This area is going to be closed tonight and probably all day tomorrow, maybe tomorrow night,” Dye said. “There’s no sense in patching it — it needs to be fixed right so it can handle everything long-term.”
Motorists will not be able to travel through the intersection until further notice. However, access remains open from Bright Avenue off the highway, and traffic can proceed up Lincoln Avenue to the first four-way stop, Dye said.
FPU encourages drivers to use caution near the work zone and to plan alternate routes while repairs continue. “We’ll keep the public informed and let everyone know as soon as the intersection reopens,” Dye said.
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