A Friday, Oct. 16, private “block party” will celebrate completion of the Saguaro Boulevard road construction, although the project is not expected to be open by then.

Town Development Services Director Paul Mood said the contractual completion date to have Saguaro Boulevard open for traffic in both directions is Oct. 30.

“The road contractor will be right up against that date,” said Mood. If the contractor misses the date, financial penalties are written into the contract.

Town voters approved in November 2013 an $8.2 million bond for the reconstruction of Saguaro Boulevard.

The Town Council awarded the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Nesbitt Contracting. Construction began in February 2015.

The Oct. 16 date was the closest available time to the actual completion deadline to schedule the celebratory activities, said block party organizer Phyliss Kern.

The south side of the Avenue of the Fountains from La Montana Drive to Paul Nordin Parkway will be closed to traffic for the block party.

The opposite side of the street will remain open to vehicular traffic.

No entry fee will be charged. Hours will be 5 to 10 p.m.

Activities will include a beer garden sponsored by Elks Lodge 2846, food vendors, music and clowns performing magic tricks and face-painting. The area will be fenced in because of the sale of alcohol.

Other sponsors are the town, Nesbitt Construction, developer Bart Shea and Kern Real Estate and Rentals.

Participants should bring folding chairs and blanket blankets, said Kern. Disc jockey Steve Gross will provide music.

Kern asks business owners to donate gift cards for giveaways. She also is collecting sponsorship donations to handle party costs.

Construction update

Paving will continue for the next two and a half weeks, said Mood.

The contractor then will shift traffic again to complete pavement markings and sewer manhole and water valve adjustments.

Damaged curb repairs, landscaping replacement, signage and finishing drainage areas by Desert Canyon Golf Couse will follow.

Subcontractors will finish the fountain and plaza area at the foot of the Avenue of the Fountains.

“Right now, the block wall enclosure for the fountain pumps needs to be completed so the fountain contractor can set the pumps, finish the pool surface and add water,” said Mood.

Six poles and 10 light fixtures that the Town Council added to the intersection of Saguaro and the Avenue of the Fountains are long-lead items and probably won’t arrive until November, he said.

The town staff recently learned that Cox Communications needs to make a fiber optic repair on the northbound Saguaro Boulevard through the El Lago intersection.

The repair could delay paving in that area, said Mood.

A contractor hired by Cox has been working in that since last week, digging a utility trench in the new sub-paving recently laid down by Nesbitt.

A finish coat of pavement will be installed once the repairs are done.