The Nebraska Department of Roads is holding an Open House today from 4-to-6:00 in the Chadron City Hall on the planned repaving of Highway 20 through Chadron, a project that will tie in with the city’s downtown storm sewer upgrade.

District 5 construction engineer Doug Hoevet says it’s a drop-in session with no formal presentations, but NDOR staff will be on hand to explain the project and answer questions…adding that the open house isn’t intended to take public comments as much as it to just let the public know what’s planned as part of the project.

Hoevet says the project is needed because the existing asphalt pavement on Highway 20, which is 3rd Street in Chadron, has reached the end of its serviceable life.

It would be replaced with longer-lasting concrete between Pine and Spruce Streets…curb to curb…retaining the current 3-lane layout and would keep the 2 existing partial blocks of parallel parking on 3rd Street.

A key part of the project replaces the storm sewer system on 3rd Street in that area and ties in with the city’s multi-million dollar renovation and upgrade of its downtown drainage system. District 5 engineer Craig Lind says the highway would remain asphalt if not for the storm sewer upgrades.

The Highway 20 project is tentatively scheduled for the 2015 construction season and should done in that single season.  Information on it will be available after today’s open house in Chadron by going to the NDOR website at www.transportation.nebraska.gov/projects/ and clicking on the “In Chadron-Pine to Spruce” link