Residents can expect to use detours to navigate areas of Airdrie’s downtown this construction season – beginning in May, the City will be continuing with planned utility upgrades under Main Street. “The utility infrastructure, particularly sanitary sewer, under the City of Airdrie’s downtown is some of the oldest in the city, and is showing significant deterioration in some areas,” said Glenn Archer, team lead with Water Services, in his presentation to council at a meeting April 1. “Storm sewers are largely absent as it was not previously required, and water infrastructure codes and standards have been significantly advanced since it was installed.” To address these concerns, Archer said, the City collaborated with CIMA+ Engineering to develop a holistic plan to upgrade, repair or replace this infrastructure. According to Archer, CIMA+ evaluated the existing infrastructure within a defined study area – bordered by Veterans Boulevard, Elk Hill, Edmonton Trail, and 8 Street – to identify several key projects necessary to ensure the downtown area receives adequate servicing in the near future and long term. These projects were then prioritized, he said, and work began on the highest-priority projects in 2018. Last year, the sanitary sewer under First Street was replaced and the sanitary sewer and water main were replaced from Main Street to Smith Street. This year, the infrastructure will be replaced from Main Street to the east side of Edmonton Trail. Throughout an estimated 20 weeks, construction will proceed in phases down the length of Main Street. A full schedule of this work will be posted on the City’s website. “This work will impact residents and traffic most significantly during weeks one to three…while the intersection at Main Street and 1st Avenue is closed,” Archer said. “The Centre Avenue work will be co-ordinated with closures on Main Street to minimize, as much as is reasonably possible, the impact to residents, businesses and traffic.” During each phase of construction, he added, alternate routes have been planned to allow vehicle traffic to access services like Urgent Care, banks and City hall. Pedestrian traffic, however, will be limited, as residents will not be permitted to pass through construction zones on foot, but sidewalks will remain open. “Staging the work to maintain one or two lanes of traffic would cause a significant increase in cost and extend the schedule by 40 to 50 per cent,” Archer said. “This would guarantee that the project will carry over into the 2021 construction season, which the current project schedule is attempting to avoid.” However, since Main Street will be entirely closed for up to three blocks at a time throughout the course of the project, Archer admitted there are concerns about the potential impact to Airdrie Fire Department, Alberta Health Services EMS and the Urgent Care Centre. He said staff will be working closely with these departments to mitigate concerns and risks. Local business owners with apprehensions about how the construction schedule may impact them can attend an information session hosted by the City April 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. at council chambers. The project has a projected start date of May 6, Archer said, and is estimated to be completed by the end of July.
