Solution near for Ontario road closure

DOVER — A culvert collapse on Ontario Street in Dover is making trouble for residents who rely on the road for their daily commute.

The past several weeks have been rough for many Dover residents, who have had to contend with circumventing the road for more than a month. According to Rebecca Kovalchuk, who lives in the area, the street closure forces residents to use routes frequented by trains, which are both an inconvenience and a safety hazard.

“Today (on Thursday) was just another example of this problem,” she wrote via email.

The good news is a solution to the street closure is on its way.

According to Rob Tate of the Coeur d’Alene-based Tate Engineering, which handles most of Dover’s public works needs, a contract is up for bid to initiate road repairs and get the street open. Tate anticipates a contractor will be selected by Tuesday.

However, Dover residents still have some waiting to endure before the street is open for traffic once again. Thanksgiving week will likely slow work to some degree, Tate said. For one thing, workers will be taking days off to spend with their families. For another, the project will likely need supplies shipped in from outside the region, and that will be slowed by the holiday. As a result, Tate estimated the road should be reopen by the first week of December.

“Until then, (residents) should follow the current traffic patterns,” Tate said.

Ontario Street was initially closed after a culvert collapsed, causing the surrounding ground to engulf and collapse the road. Residents should steer clear of the area until work is complete, Tate said.

The closure is likely due to aging infrastructure, he added. The failed culvert in question is perhaps 50 years old, and as is common with the engineering structure, time and the elements corroded its materials to the point where it could no longer bear its required load.