e-News: Thu Jun 02 2011

Behind the Scenes: Team Elmer's Night Road Work

Pancakes AND a good cause? I'm in! 

WHAT:           
Join Team Elmer’s for a pancake breakfast in support of Grand Traverse County Chapter of the American Cancer Society - Relay for Life.
 
WHEN:                       
Saturday, June 11
8:00 a.m. until 12 noon
 
WHERE:           
Howe Arena at the Grand Traverse Civic Center
Traverse City, MI
 

                       
DETAILS:           
$5.00 per person or $20.00 for the whole family
All proceeds will help local families
Donations welcome
Rain or shine
Pancakes and syrup, sausage, cherry topping, whipped cream, beverages

FREE SHUTTLE:
To and from Traverse City Central Senior High School, parking lot F, running 7am until 12:30pm.
 
                      
MORE INFO:           
For more information, call Team Elmer’s at
(231) 943-3443.

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!
Choose Cherries
Hagerty Insurance
Lite 96.3 FM
McCardel Culligan
Olseon's Food Stores
Sysco
WTCM
 

 

While you were sleeping

A few weeks ago, a crew from Team Elmer’s burned the midnight oil – and watched the sun rise – working at one of Traverse City’s busiest intersections at West Front and Division streets.



The work, funded through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, was a remediation project resulting from a gas leak many years ago from underground fuel tanks, explains John Prescott, Team Elmer’s estimator and project manager. The tanks have long since been removed, but contaminants had traveled out to the roadway and fuel recovery wells had to be installed under the state trunkline.

Team Elmer’s was hired through Wilcox Professional Services to “lay the plumbing” to allow for installation of the wells, Prescott says. The work had to be done in two phases to allow one northbound lane and one southbound lane to remain open at all times. Due to traffic, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) limited the work to “after hours” only. It also didn’t allow lane closures to be erected until 6 p.m. and the state highway had to be fully open again by 6 a.m.

The crew endured a couple of hours of rush hour traffic before vehicular activity started tapering off, Prescott says. But even at 3 a.m., there were cars and trucks regularly rolling by. Was there ever a moment when Prescott didn’t see a car coming in either direction? Nope, he says.

While the project was originally designed to allow for seven nights of construction MDOT would only allow five, again wanting to lessen the impact on the more than 20,000 vehicles that travel the state highway daily.
 
One of the most critical aspects of night work? Prescott says making sure workers have the right type and amount of lighting to do the work, while at the same time not blinding the passing drivers.

More lanes closed--night and day
If you travel Division regularly, you will be seeing a lot more of Team Elmer’s – around the clock – and quite possibly while sitting in a long line of traffic. On May 31, Team Elmer’s started the Division Street resurfacing project, the first stretch from Front Street north to Grandview Parkway. Lane closures will occur day and night and turn lanes will not be available.

Delays are expected to be extreme and alternate routes are strongly encouraged! This first phase of the project is slated to be completed June 30 and all lanes will be open for July and August. Construction cones go up again September 11 for the second phase of the re-paving project – from 14th Street to Front. Thank you for your patience during these needed improvements!
 

Your New Gaylord Connection

We're thrilled to announce that our new Gaylord location is open for business! What's your preference? Gravel, stone, topsoil or mulch? Click here for a complete list of available aggregates.

Call or stop by and see us for commercial excavation or materials for that do-it-yourself home or garden project. We're open Monday through Friday, 8am until 4:30pm. Address is 2100 Millbocker or ring us up at (989) 732-0656.


Home Office:
 

1.800.3ELMERS
231.943.3443
231.943.8975  Fax

P.O. Box 6150
3600 Rennie School Rd.
Traverse City, MI   49685