SALEM First phase of road project nears completion

Extending Bentley Drive is the project's next phase.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Work crews are almost finished with a major part of a $1.3 million improvement project aimed at easing traffic congestion in the city's east-side commercial district.
If bad weather doesn't interfere, a nearly 600-foot extension of East Third Street should be paved this week, service director Joe Julian said Monday.
Crews will then have only final grading and grass planting to finish for the East Third Street phase, Julian said.
Work began in June on widening and extending a section of East Third Street so that it intersects with Roosevelt Avenue.
Crews also have been busy on Roosevelt -- widening it from 18 to 26 feet and installing curbs and gutters.
Weather factor
As long as a hard winter doesn't start early, the Roosevelt phase could be done by year's end, Julian said.
That would leave crews with the final task of extending Bentley Drive to Continental Drive. Progress on the Bentley Drive extension will depend largely on winter weather, Julian said.
If it's mild, work can begin early in 2004. If not, crews may have to hold off until March. It will take about eight weeks.
The aim is to give motorists an alternative route to and through the east-side commercial district along East State Street.
East State Street congestion has concerned city officials for years. Traffic has increased along East State, most notably after a Wal-Mart was built near Cunningham Road.
Julian has said that eventually the city wants to further improve travel on the east side by extending Pershing Avenue so that it links with Butcher or Cunningham roads.
Pershing is a block south of East State Street and runs parallel to it.
The East Third and Bentley extension project is being paid for with money the city has borrowed.