Construction on the long-anticipated West Fir Street Rehabilitation Project begins Monday, May 13 — an effort to rebuild and repair the road and utilities from Sequim Avenue to Fifth Avenue.

City staff announced the first part of the approximate $6.5 million project involves bringing utilities underground by closing North Sequim Avenue temporarily from 5 p.m.-midnight on Monday, May 13, and Tuesday, May 14.

Interwest Construction will offer a detour route during these times.

On Wednesday and Thursday, May 15-16, the intersection of North Fifth Avenue and West Fir Street will close each night from 5 p.m.-midnight, too, with a detour in place.

City staff anticipate the project to be complete in about one year, by May 2020.

They host a groundbreaking ceremony at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 16, at the corner of West Fir Street and Second Avenue, with parking available between Second and Third Avenues.

Mayor Dennis Smith said he’s happy to see the project begin.

“A project of this size takes a tremendous effort to plan, engineer, negotiate right-of-way, coordinate with partners like the Sequim School District, and to secure the funding to make it all happen,” Smith said.

“My thanks to the City of Sequim staff, especially the Public Works Department, who have worked tirelessly to pull all of the pieces together to get us where we are at today.”

City staff said the project will provide smoothly paved lanes with new sidewalks on both sides of the road with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curbs and intersections.

The project will also provide new piping for water, sewer, stormwater, irrigation and reused water, street lighting, landscaping, street crossing enhancements at the intersections of Sequim Avenue, Second Avenue and Fifth Avenue, and a new traffic signal at Fifth Avenue and Fir Street.

Drivers can expect one lane to close eastbound during construction but access to school facilities, the Sequim Boys & Girls Club, businesses and residents will be available year-round.

Residents can sign up to receive updates on the West Fir Street Rehabilitation project on the City’s website at sequimwa.gov by going to the “Notify Me” page and registering for Fir Street Construction under the Alert Center. There is an option to receive email or text notifications.

For more information, call the City of Sequim Public Works Department at 360-683-4908.