EPHRATA — The project to replace a main water line through downtown Ephrata will reach a major intersection next Monday, and drivers should be prepared for detours and delays. With any luck the intersection will only be closed for one day, said city manager Wes Crago.

But while the intersection should be closed for just one day, the project has reached that part of downtown Ephrata that gets some pretty good traffic. And straight down Basin Street is the route most out-of-towners take to the Grant County Courthouse.

The major intersection in question is the junction of SR 26 and SR 282, the main turnoff to Quincy and I-90 from Ephrata. “Trafficpocalypse” is the way Crago described what might happen to drivers unlucky enough to miss the detour signs.

The overpass on SR 282 will be closed to traffic during the construction Monday. “The contractor’s goal is to only close that street once,” Crago said.

Access to downtown Ephrata will be via Nat Washington Way. People who want to go to Quincy can use Dodson Road to Neva Lake Road, and back to SR 28. Crago said Railroad Avenue, Empire Road and Road 14 all have city and county restrictions in place for trucks and traffic is a lot slower.

The project will extend almost the entire length of Basin Street (SR 28), about 18,000 feet of 12-inch water main. When the project is done the new water mains will extend from Oasis Park (2541 Southwest Basin St.) to DK’s Restaurant (805 Southwest Basin St.), and will require traffic detours and temporary water shutoffs along the route.

Traffic detours already have been set up along Dodson and Neva Lake roads as the construction crews have worked their way northeast from Oasis Park. The project is projected to take up to 24 weeks, although “if anything, they’re slightly ahead of schedule,” Crago said. That’s a positive development. “That saves everybody money.”

Construction is in its ninth week. Crews will be “installing hydrants, hooking up new services and testing water systems. It will be common to see hydrants flushing water in the construction area.” Paving will be going on as well.

During this week “most traffic will be two-way with no center turn lane, but occasional single-lane with flagger delays are also possible,” Crago wrote.

The project also includes new sidewalks along Northwest First Avenue, and crews are demolishing some of the existing sidewalks this week. The construction schedule is Monday through Thursday. “Occasional delays should be expected with single-lane traffic at times,” Crago wrote.

People are asked to use caution when driving through the construction zone.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].