Streetscape Updates
The Town of Four Oaks is very excited to be well under way with our downtown Streetscape project. Phase 1 Main Street is on schedule and should finish in September. The Town is very grateful for the grant funding received to support this project. Some grants have strict guidelines regarding how the funds can be spent and deadlines for spending them. We are on track to meet all grant deadlines.
Update From Carter Lovern, Project Manager for Fred Smith Co. as of 7/7/25:
This week we are continuing to proceed with retaining wall installation and fine grading for hardscapes. Last week the footings were poured for 2 of the 4 walls and the first half of the week you will see rebar tying and inspections in preparation for concrete pours on the walls themselves (this is scheduled for Wednesday at plant availability). From there, either Thursday or Friday, the masonry subcontractor is scheduled to begin installing the brick façade on the walls themselves while drainage pipes are installed within the walls. After curing, we will be able to begin backfilling the walls next week.
We will also be establishing dirt subgrade on Lassiter street which will include hauling off excess soils from the site in preparation for aggregate base course installation in this area next week.
Next week, we have our concrete subcontractor scheduled to begin pouring sidewalks back in front of businesses and installing the concrete base that is beneath the pavers. Bare with us, as this will be from “Pole to Pole” as the dry utility companies continue to remove the poles that will not remain in place. To be clear, there will be small portions of sidewalk that remain left out until the poles are removed. We think we can do a large portion of the site next week, but a second mobilization will be required form our concrete subcontractor the following week, and a third once we can get the curb and gutter tied in on the southern portion of the block once retaining walls are complete.
There is a 3 phase electrical service that remains to be converted. Once we have completed the small screen wall on Lassiter street, this can be accomplished. The meter base itself attaches to the wall. Our hope is to do this changeover sometime next week or the following. Once this is complete, it will allow Duke to remove their old poles, brightspeed and spectrum to transition to being overhead on the new side of the street, and their old poles removed as well.
The Dry utility work is tentative and each of the companies have their own storm and outages they have to take care of that interfere with us having them on site with us. As work progresses we will keep you updated.
Last week we began forming and pouring sidewalks and pouring the concrete brick paver base. This will continue this week where we can, but we are limited on space as we await brightspeed retaining their right of entry permit and railroad flagger. There are a large portion of Brightspeed owned poles within this portion of the project, we are communicating with brighspeed daily to try and get them to move their portion of the work along.
This week, we will continue to pour sidewalk and brick paver base where we can. Later this week, our brick paver subcontractor will mobilize to the site to begin installation of brick pavers in front of some of the businesses and down Lassiter street. We are hoping that during the second half of this week, our masonry subcontractor will be on site to put up the brick veneer on the retaining wall.
Duke Energy is scheduled today to remove the remainder of their poles that are set to be removed. Spectrum is scheduled to come in the second half of the week to relocate their services.
Long term outlook still runs through brightspeed and the railroad. We will continue to accomplish as much wrk as we can around their poles as well as continue to communicate with brightspeed and get updates on their schedule.
7/29/25 Update from Carter Lovern
This week we will be finishing the brick veneer on the retaining wall on the south east corner of main street. This will allow us to backfill the wall, open up pedestrian access from the north side, and tear out the old brick staircase. We will also be grading, forming, tying rebar, and preparing to pour the concrete base for the “table top” cross walk in the middle of main street. Our brick paver installer will finish the brick pavers on Lassiter street.
Next week, we will demo the brick stair case and dig footings for the brick cheek wall and new stair case on the southeast corner of main street. Our brick paving subcontractor will continue installing paver in the small light duty sections that are available on main street, and our concrete subcontractor will continue with sidewalks where possible.
The following week we will try to wrap up the brick cheek wall and stair case.
A lot of work has been performed over the course of the last month. We are nearing a point where some work will have to slow down a bit as Brightspeed tries to get their agreement with CSX railroad. The lastest update I have received is that CSX will allow them to have track time to perform their work sometime around mid August. We hope this holds true. We will continue to work and finish as much work as we can in the meantime. Be patient with us as we have limited space to work.