Portland Construction, Inc., working under contract with the City of Oak Ridge Public Works Department, is presently doing rehabilitation work on the City’s gravity wastewater collection system.  As part of this project, a gravity sewer line running from east to west, under the north end of Rutgers Avenue, must be relocated.  To accomplish this, the contractor will close Rutgers Avenue just north of the intersection of Rutgers Avenue and Manhattan Avenue at night, beginning on Sunday, January 11, 2015, between the hours of 9:00 P.M and 5:00 A.M.  The project is expected to require the road to be closed for five consecutive nights; however, inclement weather could cause the project to be delayed.  

Rutgers Avenue will be reopened to through traffic during the day, although it is recommend that motorist avoid the area if at all possible due to rough road conditions caused by the use of a temporary steel road plate that is necessary to cover the excavation. During periods of road closure, traffic will be detoured along Illinois Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike onto Tulane Avenue. 

At the completion of the project, a temporary driving surface will be installed to allow use of the roadway. A permanent surface will be placed on the roadway after any settling occurs. This should happen at some point late spring as weather allows.