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‘Big dig’ back on track, new completion date

Aug 17, 2015 | 7:27 PM

A new timeline has been set for the ‘big dig’ after weather and other unexpected issues grinded work to a halt.

“Our ‘big dig’ continues to move ahead. We certainly are behind schedule as everyone can expect with the weather,” said Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne.

The work being done on 2nd Ave. W. and 15th St. W has a new completion date set around the first week of October instead of the middle of September, according to Dionne.

After talks with the labour board, the contracting company reported their workers will put in 21 days followed by three off in order to meet the timeline.

Dionne said they’ve also found difficulties going under the tracks. They tried boring with a machine which proved nearly impossible.

“What people don’t understand is we don’t know what’s in the ground,” said Dionne. “Underneath the tracks we ran into big boulders.

“So that was unfortunate; we could not go through.”

This hiccup delayed the project by a week. Dionne said the contracting company had to cut the tracks and surface dig. Now they’re putting the tracks back together.

At Monday’s city council meeting, three substantially worn steel pipes and one wooden pipe old enough to be an artifact sat on a table at the front of city hall.

“The steel ones are very heavily corroded and you have to think, they carry potable water,” said Dionne. “So that just shows you what happens when you leave something in the ground for over a hundred years.

“The wood was a good find for us, simply because we’re going to pass it on to the museum,” he laughed.

Dionne said over the years, material moved from wood to steel. Now, the old pipes will be replaced with new ones made of plastic which he said is, “supposed to last forever.”

The next step for the team is continuing work at the intersection of 2nd Ave. W. and 15th Street. Now that they are completing the cement work in front of 7-11, they’ll move in front of Tim Horton, then in front of the Gateway Mall and finally finishing on the same side as the ‘big dig’.

Dionne said the decision to replace that area with concrete came because of extensive wear and tear.

“Asphalt just doesn’t last with the big trucks,” said Dionne. “Cement is going to last us longer and we won’t have to repair it.”

The budget is slated to be announced in a week. Since the company hasn’t been working, they aren’t getting paid. But Dionne said the City was expensed for their attempt going under the tracks.

“We continue to work with the contractor to save money,” said Dionne.

All in favour?

It’s not just drivers in the city who are facing ‘big dig’ woes. 

Businesses located on 2nd Ave. W. are blocked and customers are being rerouted.

At the council meeting, Councillor Don Cody spoke out.

“This is becoming an awful hardship for these business people along that way,” said Cody.

Overall, the Mayor said while the situation may not be ideal, they’re dealing with challenges as they arise.

With files for Khang Nguyen

asoloducha@panow.com

On Twitter: @alex_soloducha