FARMINGTON – With temperatures reaching a high of 10 degrees at noon Thursday, an E.L. Vining crew stopped their work in the downtown area for lunch.

Main Street has been a bit noisy this week as jackhammers cracked through tar, cement and frozen dirt while the crew installed a sewer line across a parking area to a storage building formerly part of the Witt Bros. Rexall property.

“The crew is working hard to wrap it up today and get out of the cold,” said site foreman Mike Logan of Farmington on Thursday.

The cold hasn’t stopped work this week but it doesn’t make it any easier, either, he said.

“It slows production down and makes it harder to work. The equipment is cold and it takes longer to work with frozen bolts and other equipment.”

So what helps the men continue working in these temperatures?

“Dress for it … lots of long johns and layers … and keep moving,” Logan said as he sipped hot coffee. “Hot drinks help, too.”

His other suggestion for people working in the cold – eat properly … including high protein foods.

“You get used to it, but it’s a long day and you’re really tired at night,” he said.

Property owner William Marceau hired the crew to install the line as part of his plan to renovate the building. A business and office will occupy the first floor with three apartments on the second floor.