Pre-paving the way Prep work is being done to make way for re-paving Alister Street later this month. Above, parts of the street that are weak are being scooped up and reinforced. Below, workers lower manhole covers in preparation for the overlay that is scheduled to take about two days starting April 25. STAFF PHOTO BY MURRAY JUDSON Alister Street, our town’s main thoroughfare, is about to get a big facelift.

Starting later this month, workers are expected to begin applying an overlay of fresh pavement throughout most of Alister, from Cotter Avenue to Avenue G, according to Randall Moore, general manager of Island Construction, the firm that will be doing the work.

The work on Alister is one of many street projects financed by a $4.9 million bond issue approved by Port Aransas voters in 2008. The city now is in Phase Three, the final phase of street work involved in the bond issue. Island Construction of Port Aransas is the contractor that’s been selected to do all of the work in Phase Three.

Surveying on Alister was done during the week of March 27 to April 1. Next on workers’ agendas was lowering manhole covers and valve covers to make way for grinding the pavement, Moore said.

Overlay work, Moore said, is scheduled to start April 25. It probably will be finished two days later, he said.

Traffic lanes will be narrowed during construction, but the road isn’t expected to be shut completely down at any point, Moore said.

According to Deputy City Manager Dave Parsons, other parts of Phase Three include:

• Completely rebuilding Trout Street and inserting underground drainage where there was none before. The newly reconstituted Trout Street will be made of concrete, which is tougher than pavement, Parsons said;

• Paving Pleasant Valley Road, which currently is a dirt road;

• Applying pavement to a short section of Tarrant Street that branches off Cotter Avenue and parallels the physical plant building at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute;

• Paving about 200 feet of White Street, a dirt road, west of its intersection with Oleander Street;

• Milling and paving Avenue C from Station Street to 11th Street;

• Milling and paving Sea Oat Drive, a cul-de-sac;

Drainage work will be done at Howard Boulevard and Station Street; on Station Street, about 400 feet north of Piper Boulevard; and at Ross Avenue and Avenue I.

By contract, Island Construction is expected to get all of the work done within 285 calendar days, Parsons said, adding that the clock began ticking on Feb. 10. Delays could be allowed if bad weather erupts, he said.

Comments? Questions? Contact Dan Parker at (361) 749- 5131 or dan@portasouthjetty.com