Paving work along Marion Street is going well, with the south side concrete curb lane between First and Third avenues now complete. Crews are working steadily up the hill, placing funny green wire things before the concrete is poured. The green “load transfer baskets,” like you see in this photo looking down from the top of Fourth Avenue, shift weight from one concrete panel to the next as traffic drives over top. While the baskets help evenly distribute the extra weight of buses, the concrete helps to withstand the pressure over time. The only other area with concrete will be the middle lane between Fourth and Fifth avenues, where the trolley travels.
The wire “baskets” are green from an epoxy coating that makes them resistant to rust.
Once the concrete work is complete, crews will switch sides (as will traffic) and begin repaving the north side with asphalt. Reconstruction of the roadway includes drainage, base repair, alley, sidewalk and curb ramp work. The entire project, from Western to Sixth, is expected to wrap up in early October.