McGraw asks Planning and Zoning to work 18-hour day

McGraw Custom Construction is once again asking the city to work on Front Street construction from 6 a.m. to midnight six days a week.

The request came a week after the Wrangell Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission voted in favor of allowing the construction company to work from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays.

In mid-January, McGraw submitted a noise variance request to the city asking to be allowed to extend its normal work hours in order to complete the Wrangell road and utility improvement project, which is set to improve about 2,500 feet of the town’s main street and underground utilities.

At its Feb. 9 meeting, P&Z members agreed midnight was too late for construction crews to be making noise downtown. P&Z decided to allow crews to work until 9 at night. The next day, McGraw Superintendent Mike Ashton told the Sentinel he would appeal that decision.

The City and Borough of Wrangell received a letter Feb. 17 from Ashton requesting the P&Z vote be amended to allow for construction work to occur from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday.

Construction crews are normally allowed to work 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends, according to the city’s noise ordinance.

In his letter, Ashton wrote the extra work hours McGraw is requesting are necessary to remain on schedule with the road project. Crews have had to dig out unexpected amount of rock from beneath the road, which has slowed work considerably, Ashton wrote in the letter.

“...[McGraw] would like to run two shifts and see if we can punch our way through this rock and remain on schedule,” the letter states. “It is in all of our best interests if this job gets completed on time.”

Ashton acknowledged the noise construction activities create, but said crews would limit the use of rock hammering from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., the letter states.

“Let’s not forget that the reason this job is being done is that the existing services are old and break on a regular basis,” Ashton wrote. “The end product will be a much- improved corridor with new utilities and a much safer Front Street.”

Carol Rushmore, Borough Economic Development Planner and P&Z Administrator, said the letter will be presented to the Borough Assembly acting as the Board of Adjustments, and a public hearing will be held. The next scheduled Assembly meeting is March 6 at 7 p.m.