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Uptown's High Street is scheduled to get a makeover this summer-some of the bumps that have formed because of extensive use are to be smoothed away.
The block between Main and Beech streets will be repaired and Scott Otto, an intern in Oxford's engineering division who helped lay out the construction plan, explained why this block was chosen over other damaged sections of High Street.
According to Otto, the road's concrete base has failed and caused the road to sink down and settle in some places, which attributes to the bumps in the bricks.
"We looked at the whole street and that section looks the worst right now," he said. "It had the worst settling and most base failure."
Victor Popescu, engineer for the city of Oxford, said the road is no longer providing the necessary support. Because this chosen block contains High Street's well-known red brick, a major concern is preserving the road's historic significance, as well as its popular visual impact.
"The way it's done is that everything is taken off the road," Popescu said. "The bricks and concrete are removed and then the dirt is stabilized. We then pour concrete in, 10 inches deep, and replace the bricks."
Otto said that leftover bricks from the original construction of the road in 1916 would be used to replace any damaged bricks that are too weak to be reused. The road should look exactly the same upon completion of this project, merely without the irregular surface.
Otto explained that the city would be using federal funds to pay for the construction.
"Money is made available from funds allocated to the city of Oxford from the Ohio Turnpike," Otto said. "We have approximately $440,000 available for the project."
High Street, now more than 90 years old, has not experienced any construction since the Uptown Parks were built in 2000.
Popescu explained what would occur in undertaking this proposal.
"That section of the road is going to be closed completely and there will have to be detours for traffic," Popescu said. "Cars will have to take Campus Avenue north and then west on Church (Street)."
In addition, he also said the sidewalks would remain open for the public and access to stores would still available.
"This project is 100 percent federal money," Popescu said. "Anytime federal money is involved, the Ohio Department of Transportation administers the project, and then we do the plans and run the job."
The construction is expected to begin in late July and possibly a few weeks into August, according to Popescu. Popescu estimated that the project should be completed in roughly a month.
