The last of the Dry Creek flood protection work will be completed by the end of next week, according to City of Port Alberni streets superintendent Wilf Taekema.
“Bowerman plans to complete the underground work this week and do the surface work and repaving next week,” Taekema said.
Bowerman Excavating is currently installing a second storm outfall for the lower Third Avenue and Bute Street area. This is the last phase of the Dry Creek flood mitigation project which the city started late last summer.
The underground work at Third and Bute was supposed to be completed by the end of March but Taekema said that the difficulty of working around city utilities has delayed it slightly.
“There’s water and sewer that they have to go around.”
The first part of the project completed last year involved channel improvements to Dry Creek itself—improvements that city engineer Guy Cicon said stopped any flooding near the creek this December.
However, approximately a foot of standing water collected near Third Avenue and Bute Street, leading the city to commission extra work from Bowerman.
The project, funded in thirds by the federal, provincial and municipal governments, has cost the city $2.3 million to date, out of a $2.7 million budget.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com
facebook.com/albernivalleynews
