Roadwork ahead
Looming summer construction season includes Franklin Avenue and Kam Lake Road
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Friday, April 7, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Two main city streets are among roadways set to undergo more than $14.7 million of construction work this summer.
Stretches of both Franklin Avenue and Kam Lake Road will see construction this year, potentially affecting commutes as work is underway.
Water and sewer lines will be replaced under Franklin from Norseman Drive and 57 Street.
Kam Lake Road will be repaved and traffic lights will be installed at the intersection with Finlayson Drive.
Work is also planned for Williams Avenue, Lamoureux Road and portions of Con Road, 51 Street, Finlayson Drive, around Forrest Park and Calder Crescent.
Much of the work is due to the city receiving millions from the federal government as part of its infrastructure spending.
"It's a great deal of work," said Dennis Kefalas, the city's director of public works and engineering. "It's almost double what we would normally do."
He said the busiest year for public works projects was during construction of the new water treatment plant and water and sewer line work in Northland Trailer Park in 2013.
"In my time at the city this would be our second busiest year," he said.
Council is scheduled to vote on five contracts worth more than $14.7 million on Monday.
They include $2.3 million for water and sewer pipe work on Williams Avenue by NWT Construction Ltd.; $2.6 million for paving Con Road, Kam Lake Road, 51 Street and potentially 52 Street by Ace Enterprises Ltd.; $3.4 million for water and sewer line work on Finlayson Drive and Forrest Park by RTL Robinson Enterprises Ltd.; $3.4 million for water and sewer work on Lamoureux Road and Calder Crescent by NWT Construction Ltd.; and $3 million for water and sewer work on Franklin Avenue by NWT Construction Ltd.
The Franklin Avenue work covers two years because the city plans for the paving to be done in 2018.
The city has already voted to approve a contract to purchase pipes for the work. Other costs include engineering fees. Some of the federal funding will cover the installation of pullouts for bus stops.
The Kam Lake Road work will also include the installation of three metre wide multi-use pathway on both sides of the street. The Franklin construction is also expected to include similar paths. The new paths will become part of a trail that links to the Grace Lake neighbourhood.
