R.L. Larson’s two construction crews continue to work on the underground utility replacement in Phase 1,
completing the replacement of the sanitary sewer mains yesterday. On Thursday afternoon, one of the
crews also stubbed the sanitary sewer main out of Main Street north on Second Avenue Northeast in
advance of Phase 1B, which will occur later in the project following railroad permitting. The crew working
on the easterly portion of Phase 1 began sanitary sewer service replacement connecting homes to the new
mains late in the week. Today, service replacement will be the primary task both on the east and west
sides of Phase 1 with each crew working on connections.
On Monday, a short shut down of water for properties along Main Street from Second to Third Avenue East
will occur to allow for a connection and extension of watermain north on Second Avenue for Phase 1B. The
connection will require the intersection to be closed for vehicular crossings until completed. Following the
completion of the remaining sanitary sewer services and watermain, R.L. Larson will switch to the
replacement of the storm sewer, manholes, and inlets in Phase 1. The storm sewer excavations will occur
primarily at intersections, so shutdowns of various intersections will be necessary throughout the week.
Following the completion of the underground utilities, the remaining sidewalk sections and brick pavers will
have to be removed to allow for the preparation of subgrade and aggregate throughout the phase.
Following the removal, a combination of mats and temporary boardwalks will be placed to provide access
to downtown businesses. Next week, Ottertail Aggregate will begin working on subgrade preparation and
installation of aggregate base for the eventual roadbed. Based on the improvement scheduling, work will
start on the east end of Phase 1 and work to the west as additional utilities are completed. The 12 inches
of aggregate base will be placed in advance of the placement of conduits, irrigation, and eventual concrete
and bituminous pavement construction. Please do what you can to continue to support these businesses
while the improvements are being made.
On Monday morning, traffic control signage will be placed for the work on Phase 2 (Fourth Avenue to Sixth
Avenue West). Following the placement of traffic control, the roadway will be closed to allow for the
removal of trees, pavement, sidewalk, and other surface features in advance of the sanitary sewer
reconstruction. Removals will be completed over the course of the week, with underground utility
replacement scheduled to start the following week.
The detour for Phase 2 will re-direct traffic from Main Street to Second Street South between Third and
Seventh Avenues during the improvements. The intersection of Sixth Avenue West will be kept open to the
extent possible during construction to allow truck traffic to traverse the area but will be required to be
closed for the replacement of the sanitary sewer later in the phase. For specific information and maps
regarding the phasing, please see the Chamber’s website, with a link located at the end of this update.
2024 Main Street Project Update
Main Street, Second Avenue Northeast, and Seventh Avenue Southeast
On Monday morning, staff from the City and Apex will be in the back room at Lake’s Café from 8:00 to 8:30
and will be available to discuss schedule updates and other concerns from property owners, citizens, or
other interested community members.
If you have any questions, or want additional information on the project, the Perham Chamber of
Commerce has created a webpage dedicated to the project, which can be accessed at this link
(https://www.perham.com/2024msrp/). For more specific questions, feel free to contact the City Engineer,
Jade Berube, via email at jade.berube@apexenggroup.com, or City Manager, Jonathan Smith at
jsmith@cityofperham.com.
