Residents living on 9th Avenue East near McBride Street will be dealing with a partially unpaved road this winter, as the City of Prince Rupert isn’t expecting to have the water line and sewer line rebuild projects finished until 2013.
The projects began in May, with workers planning to rebuild both lines originally put in back in the early 1900’s.
“There was a lot of infiltration in the sewer line, which was surcharging our downstream sewer system,” Bill Horne, general manager of engineering, public works and development services for the city, said.
Since the sewer line needed to be replaced, and there had been issues with the water line, the city planned to do both projects together. The line replacements were financially possible this year, after staying on the city’s to-do list for approximately five years.
The water line installation for the first half of the project is complete, with the city continuing to work on the storm and sanitary sewers. Workers installed a storm drainage, so sewer infiltration won’t happen again. But there’s still lots to do.
“It’s a full rehabilitation which means improvements to the road bed, asphalt, curbing, sidewalks, everything we can do,” said Horne.
Only the bottom portion of the street will be paved this year, but the city will manage the unpaved section over the winter.
“The residents have been very patient,” said Horne.
The project’s budget is approximately $1,000,000,000, and is on track. The estimated completion date of the project is in spring of 2013.
