Construction Crews Take Over Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach

Two blocks of Newport Avenue were nearly closed down today, Tuesday, Feb. 28th as construction crews and their equipment took over OB’s main street and some nearby streets as well in the downtown area.

Ramps of the m,id-block crosswalk are taken out and replaced.

Part of it all was the beginning stages of the re-paving of Newport Avenue – the widening of Newport Ave’s two mid-block crosswalks. One crew worked on that.

Cable Street closed.

Another separate crew was re-asphalting Cable Street, while a third crew cleaned out a main sewer line between Newport and Niagara.

This was all happening this morning. The noise, the dust, the smells were all fairly disruptive of the morning hours on the Avenue. But maybe, just maybe, it would all be completed today – as the crews promised this reporter. And perhaps, it’s a sign that the City can coordinate repairs and street work in the community – have it all come down no one day to minimize the disruption and inconvenience to businesses and their customers and the residents.

Crosswalk Ramps widened

Workers from YBS Construction were busy at work widening the ramps at the 4 points of OB’s two mid-block crosswalks.

It was all about demolishing the existing curbs and concrete, putting in the wood structures, and then working the cement pouring into a smooth surface.

Some memory tiles were removed and damaged during the construction of the new ramps.

In the process, unfortunately, some of Newport’s “memory tiles” were torn up and broken. But the ramps had to be widened to be in compliance with ADA codes after decades of use.

These crosswalks – unusual in that they were installed in the middle of OB’s two main commercial blocks – have been used by residents and customers since the 1950s – and are in a convenient location.

The new ramps must fit the wider crosswalk. Rumors of lights on the crosswalk are unfounded.

I was told by a foreman of the YBS crew that his guys redoing the ramps will be done today. They’re subcontractors of the main outfit, TC General Contractors, the company that is supposed to be repaving Newport Avenue from Abbott to Sunset Cliffs.

Three inches of the current surface will be ground off and then replaced with three inches of new asphalt.

Cable Street’s New Asphalt

Over on Cable Street, another altogether separate crew was re-asphalting the block from Newport to Santa Monica.  I spoke to Dave, the foreman of this group from AMS Paving. They had to grind 2 inches out and were replacing it with another 2 inches of fresh asphalt. They’ll be laying 100 tons of asphalt today, Dave said. But tomorrow, Wednesday, is the big day, he said.

They’re redoing Bacon, Newport and Coronado and will be pouring another 250 tons of asphalt.

This monster grinds up the old asphalt.

His crew will also re-strip the roads. “We’ll be done by 3 today,” he said, and then added, “hopefully.”

Main Blockage on Cable

A different crew, this one from KTA Construction, was on the other part of Cable Street – just south of Newport. By time I spoke to them, they were packing up and getting set to leave. They had cleared 500 feet, from the manhole by the alley out to the intersection with Niagara. I was told – they “jetted it out”.

As their truck and equipment drives away, the crew gets set to pack and leave. They just cleared out 500 feet of sewer line.

What was it, I asked, palm fronds and other debris from the storm? One guy, the one with the beard, said, nah, mainly baby wipes and toilet paper.

So here we have it. One day in the life of Newport Avenue – and its side-streets. But today’s disruption merely foretells what’s to come.