AUBURN – Crews working on the Court Street storm sewer project could begin using dynamite this week to blast granite ledge between Western and Russell avenues.

City Engineer Steve Ranney said crews have about three weeks left in the project. Crews began installing a new storm sewer line along Court Street in May.

Geographic surveys of the area between Western and Russell avenues show a large granite deposit that needs to be broken up before the pipes can be installed, Ranney said.

Ranney said demolition of the wooden building at Court and Main streets downtown has been delayed until later this week. The city had hoped to begin tearing that building down last weekend.

“There were some issues with the stability of the walls of the building next to it, so they delayed that,” Ranney said.

That building is scheduled to begin coming down on Thursday, he said, and wrap up on Saturday. That will close one lane each of Court and Main streets, he said.

“They’ll probably try to concentrate their work between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to avoid the really heavy traffic,” Ranney said.

Paving work delayed

Lewiston has pushed back its paving schedule one week, according to Public Works Director Dave Jones. City paving contractors were originally scheduled to repave five Lewiston streets this week.

“Then we found out they’d only be available one day this week,” Jones said.

Paving crews should wrap up work on Ferry Road between Dyer and River roads Monday. That work began on Thursday.

Projects scheduled for Harold, Montello, Lafayette streets and Campus Avenue will be delayed until the week of July 14.

Paving projects on Webster, Eustis, Foch, Farwell, College, Spring, Oak and Bates streets will be delayed until the week of July 21.

Paving work on the College Street storm sewer project could wrap up soon, he said. Crews are hoping to be able to pave College Street between between Sabattus and Union streets beginning July 18.

Crews will continue digging along Jefferson Street this week as part of the Gulley Brook storm sewer project.

Jones said crews should finish the off-road work along Plourde Parkway and River Road by the end of July, Jones said. The city is relocating that intersection to make room for a Wal-Mart Lewiston distribution center.

staylor@sunjournal.com