Duane Hicks
The two-year biomass roads project will include reconstruction of the roads, as well as the water and sewer infrastructure, on Victoria Avenue from Front Street to Nelson Street, Nelson Street from Victoria Avenue to Portage Avenue, and Portage Avenue from Nelson Street to Sixth Street.
The first phase of work is slated to start on Monday (May 4) and end by Sept. 18—a 20-week period.
It will include the reconstruction of Victoria Avenue from Front Street to the Nelson Street intersection, Nelson Street from Victoria Avenue to Veterans Avenue, and Portage Avenue from Nelson Street to just south of the First Street East intersection.
This work involves the reconstruction of 902 metres of roadway, the installation of asphalt, and granular “A” and “B,” 1,550 metres of new concrete curb and gutter, and the installation of 31 new catch basins and manholes, complete with two feet of sump.
It also entails 467 metres of storm sewer piping, 189 metres of catch basin leads, replacing 906 metres of cast iron watermain with PVC piping, removing and replacing 16 water valves, removing and replacing one new fire hydrant, removing and replacing 20 water service lines, replacing 794 metres of sewer lines with PVC piping, installing one new sanitary manhole, 21 new sanitary sewer lines, closed-circuit TV inspections of the new storm sewer piping and sanitary sewer lines, and new line painting.
This year’s work also will include the installation or replacement of 575 sq. metres of sidewalk (the elimination of the sidewalk on the south side of Nelson Street, and its relocation to the north side), and adjusting the southwest turning radius at the intersection of Victoria and Nelson to accommodate transport trucks.
It also will entail the construction of a new 58-space municipal parking lot on Nelson Street, with a perimeter curb, asphalt, a storm sewer system, and lighting (this will be usable by the public).
At the same time, parking will be greatly reduced on Victoria Avenue between Nelson and Sinclair, and eliminated on Nelson between Portage and Victoria.
The second phase of work in 2010 is scheduled to go another 20 weeks, starting May 3 and ending Sept. 17. This will include the reconstruction of Portage Avenue from First Street to Third Street, and Fifth Street to Sixth Street.
Second-phase work entails the reconstruction of 451 metres of roadway, the installation of asphalt, and granular “A” and “B,” 855 metres of new concrete curb and gutter, and the installation of 27 new catch basins and manholes complete with two feet of sump.
It also incudes the installation of 200 metres of storm sewer piping, 260 metres of catch basin leads, replacing 445 metres of cast iron watermain with PVC piping, removing and replacing 13 water valves, removing and replacing four new fire hydrants, removing and replacing 24 water service lines, closed-circuit TV inspections of the new storm sewer piping and sanitary sewer lines, and new line painting.
Phase two also includes the replacement of 140 sq. metres of concrete sidewalk, and the proposed elimination of concrete sidewalk on the east side of Portage Avenue from Second Street to Third Street and Fifth to Sixth.
Construction effects
During various stages of construction, some roads will have to be completely closed to traffic. The town and contractor will work with affected property owners ahead of time to work out access resulting from this.
Brown said after last night’s meeting that stakeholders (i.e., St. Mary’s Church, the OPP, fire department, ambulance, etc.) had a pre-construction meeting earlier yesterday and talked about road blockages.
The major issue identified was access to the emergency entrance at the hospital.
As such, starting on Tuesday (May 5), the hospital emergency ramp will be accessed south on Victoria Avenue from Front Street and not from the north.
In a few weeks, that access will change to south on Victoria from Sinclair Street.
“People should remember there’s always going to be access to the emergency entrance at the hospital,” Brown stressed.
As far as emergency services like fire protection, Brown said when work is being done on roads near the fire hall, trucks will be temporarily relocated to other facilities in town, such as the ambulance garage or Public Works building.
Temporary water service will be supplied to all buildings when water has to be turned off for replacement work.
The contractor also will take steps to prevent any “dust nuisance” resulting from operations.
The project tender was awarded earlier this month to Bay City Contracting of Thunder Bay at a cost of $5.4 million.
Engineering Northwest is acting as field inspector and project administrator.
