Powell Jones, Director, River Center: I’m here with Lonn Sweers, manager of Jamestown Excavation, who has done a lot since the beginning of this project. What’s your main focus this week?

Lonn Sweers: First thing we try to do, for the general contractors, is to get the concrete in the ground so they can start erecting the buildings. Then they can get their job done and I move off into the sides…we’re getting ready to place rock now to try to beat the rain.

Powell Jones: So the most visible part of this project has been the parking lot construction.

Lonn Sweers: This is really the easiest site for us, called a “balance” site: All the dirt remains on-site and we import the rock to (a level that is called) “blue top grade.”

Powell Jones: When you say you import rock, is it good Sequim rock, coming from here?

Lonn Sweers: Yes, right off of Baker, off of River Road, inch and a quarter minus rock. We compact it in lifts and bring it up to grade.

Powell Jones: It’s good to know we’re using local resources on a local project. So, Lonn, there’s an incredible amount of machinery, just a quick count, seven to eight pieces of machinery. What’s doing the majority of the work?

Lonn Sweers: That’s a good question; each piece has its own particular task. For example, over at the building pad is a mini-excavator. It’s tight quarters and you have to get all the grades and make all the corners and the column- and spread footings done….For the parking lot, it would be the bulldozer and the scraper. The next piece will be our new dozer (the cat) that will be pushing out the subgrade and also laying down the rock. And the grader will start placing the rock to blue top grade and getting ready for pavement. The roller will follow that and compact it to a 95 percent-plus compaction.

Powell Jones: With all the rock down you have this great base, so when should we expect asphalt pavement, concrete sides, and all of that?

Lonn Sweers: It won’t be until next spring…because the weather allows it to be paved at that time.

Powell Jones: How many do you have on the crew, can you tell us a little bit about your crew?

Lonn Sweers: A couple of years ago there were three and now we’re at 12, so we’ve really grown in the last couple of years and looking for more finish guys. They can really bring it, know how to operate…I’m very thankful to have the men that I have who work with me every day.

Powell Jones: And if someone were interested in working for you, where would they go to find out about opportunities?

Lonn Sweers: Google Jamestown Tribe, go to job opportunities, and Jamestown Excavating.

Powell Jones: So even in a Covid time you’re hiring people!

Thanks for joining us for another construction update from the Dungeness River Audubon Center and Railroad Bridge Park. If you’d like to learn more about our project or contribute to it please visit www.dungenesrivercenter.org

You can check out the project from the ODT (Olympic Discovery Trail on the east end of the historic Railroad Bridge) or from the parking lot at the west end of Hendrickson Road in Sequim.