Nightmare On Elm Street

Is it really a nightmare? That depends on who you ask. Construction on the Little Caesar's side of Elm Street to the three way stop began today during the Extreme Heat Warning issued by the Coconino County Emergency Management Department.

This section of Elm Street has been plagued by problems for many years. During heavy rains, the street becomes flooded, blocking even the residents on this section of road from entering their own driveways. The road gets shut down during these times for resident's safety due to the depth of the flooding.

In the dry seasons, the street is not only an eyesore due to disintegrating asphalt, but also a noisy and bumpy ride all the way down to the three way stop sign area, where almost all of the local yard sales are posted on the corner every weekend.

This street is part of a network of streets in this area that have completely deteriorated, and are on the verge of being considered unpaved, due to severe road damage from the lack of any kind of maintenance.

So, it is extremely good that this section of road will finally be repaired. With the amount of survey work done on the road before the construction began today, LPNN is hoping that the flooding issue has been addressed, and will be remedied by the time all is said and done.

According to the City of Page Public Works Department, while construction is going on, the road will still be open. The company doing the work will try to have at least one lane open to allow for traffic flow.

The construction project has been funded through a grant from the Arizona Department of Transportation, and the projected completion date of construction is August 8 of this year.

While it will certainly be a boon to the residents of this area, and for traffic flow through this section of Elm Street once it is completed, be aware of the possible traffic hazards during construction.

The true nightmare, at least for the next week, is for the construction workers who will be toiling through the day during 100 degree plus temperatures. While an inconvenience, LPNN would like to remind everyone to take the temperature into account and be courteous to the construction workers, and keep an eye out for them and for their safety while driving through this section of town.