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'It's inconvenient for everyone' Partial closure of Morrison Drive inconveniences residents on Latham Island
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, July 17, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Residents on Latham island will have to make adjustments to their commuting schedules for the next couple of weeks as the city has cut off access to Morrison Dr. during the daytime in order to complete necessary road repairs.
Morrison Drive will be closed from Monday to Saturday, from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the next two to three weeks. In order to accommodate the closure, the city will be operating Otto Drive as a two-way road, while Hearne Hill Road will become a one-way road until construction is completed. - Cody Punter/NNSL photo |
As of July 13, Morrison Drive will be closed from Monday to Saturday, from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., for two to three weeks.
In order to accommodate the closure, the city will be operating Otto Drive as a two-way road, while Hearne Hill Road will become a one-way road during the hours that Morrison Dr. is closed.
Traffic on both streets will be directed by city workers and appropriate signage.
Some residents living in the area are complaining work was already supposed to be completed and the decision to close the road to traffic was not part of the original plan.
"I don't think anybody involved from the construction team to the residents here are happy with the pace," said David Livingstone, who lives on Morrison Drive. "I think it's inconvenient for everyone."
He pointed out that although the road closures began recently, the construction has already been going on for the past six weeks.
Even though Livingstone is allowed to park at his house when the road re-opens at night, there is a half-metre gap between the end of his driveway and the road, extending along the south side of Morrison Drive.
"I haven't been able to use this driveway for three weeks now, instead of the five or six days that they'd indicated," said Livingstone, who is now parking his car on the mainland. "It's just not satisfactory."
Wendy Alexander, manager of public works and engineering with the city, said the reason the city had to dig the ditch is because it is replacing the street's storm drainage system. She said all other work in the area is related to the repairing and repaving of the road itself.
Alexander added water and sewage services in the area would not be affected by the road works.
In order to accommodate the flow of two way traffic on Otto Drive, the city has banned parking on the street between 6:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Shirley Harrison, who runs a business out of her house on Otto Drive, said she received two warning tickets for parking on the road. She said she depends on being able to park on the street in order to run her business, but that her clients have not been overly troubled by the inconvenience.
"Parking is very limited down here, but if it has to be done, that's life," she said.
Harrison said she will only become concerned if the construction ends up going past the expected three week time-frame.
"I think that they're doing it as quick as possible, but if it stretches out for nine years, I'll be mad."
Livingstone remains skeptical that the work will be completed by the end of the projected two-to-three-week time frame given by the city.
"It's like when you're on an aircraft, and the pilot says it'll be another 10 minutes," said Livingstone. "It won't be another two to three weeks. I'm pretty sure of that."
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