First concrete poured on Desloge Drive

The Desloge Drive reconstruction project is underway and the first of the new concrete curbing has been poured near the old Hocker Oil station.

While the area may look like World War I trench warfare right now, city administrator, Dan Bryan, stated on the city’s Facebook page Friday morning, “remember, we have to make a mess before we make something beautiful.”

Bryan said that work on the project will be varied by location to allow the maximum amount of work to be done at any given time. For example, sections of concrete curbing may be poured in varying locations dependent on the weather, utilities, and ease of access.

Bryan also said the project may include work at the Park Hills end of the project for a couple of days and then shift to somewhere in the middle of the city or down to the end of the project, near Hawthorne Street, so drivers should always be aware and watch for signs when traveling through the city as lane closures and detours are possible.

The contractor on the project has been awarded 365 calendar days to complete the entire project. Bryan states that the contractor is allowed days off in the event of inclement winter weather or rain. If the weather cooperates, the project could be finished as early as October of 2019.

“It will be a headache for residents of Desloge and those who are visiting Desloge, but if everyone will just be patient with us and the process, and know that when it is done it will be a beautiful thing,” he said.  “It will be such an improvement for this main sector while driving through Desloge.”

The first concrete in the Desloge Drive project has been poured. This section is near the old Hocker Oil Station just across from the police department. 

Matt McFarland is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3616, or at mmcfarland@dailyjournalonline.com.