Road construction season underway in Sarnia

Road construction season is underway in Sarnia.

And Sarnia’s construction manager is asking people to respect zones where roads are closed, namely Colborne Road, where a water main replacement project has Errol Road to Guthrie Drive closed to through traffic.

“We’ve had a lot of people kind of going through that one,” said Rob Williams about the $9.7-million contract to Cope Construction awarded last month.

Colborne’s western lane is still open for local traffic, he said.

“But we really would request that all through traffic respect the closure and don’t enter the job zone” for the safety of workers, he said.

The project includes replacing 580 meters of 500mm-diameter, cast-iron water main that’s approximately 100 years old and has been prone to breaks, leading to some significant floods on the roadway, he said.

“When a 500mm water main breaks, it not only is very costly to repair it, it can be very dangerous,” Williams said, because of the large hole it creates and the risk of basements flooding.

“It’s suffered a number of catastrophic breaks in the past, so it’s kind of good news that we’re going to be starting replacement of water infrastructure in that area,” he said.

Another large, 400mm-diameter water main is also being replaced soon as part of a $1.15-million sewer separation project on East Street, between Confederation and Ontario streets, he said.

Ongoing sewer separation work on Vidal Street, between Talfourd and Devine streets, is expected to wrap up in about a month, he said, before Clarke Construction moves to the second part of its $2.9-million contract — Brock Street between Wellington and Talfourd streets.

The closures are “pretty significant,” Williams said.

“Traffic is cooperating and detouring,” he said.

Ditto for ongoing work rebuilding Plank Roadincluding water line installation, in the project area that includes nearly a kilometer southeast from McGregor Side Road, he said.

The road has been closed for the $2.3-million Van Bree Drainage and Bulldozing Ltd. contract, which has been challenging for local businesses, Williams said.

“We’re doing our best and I’d say it’s going pretty good,” he said.

Up next, asphalt resurfacing on more than 20 city streets could start in June.

Contracts for the collectively $4.2-million projects go to city council for approval May 15.

Two-dozen shave and pave projects are included in two contracts, and a third is for a $690,000 repaving of Telfer Road, between Michigan Line and Jackson Road.

The projects are split into three contracts to make it more manageable for all the work to be done, Williams said.

One includes streets generally is in the city’s north, and another is streets mostly in the city’s south, but also includes repaving Hamilton Road in Bright’s Grove, he said.

The projects will also include some curb and manhole adjustments, and there are contract clauses requiring paving quickly after streets are milled down, he said.

“It’s a healthy list,” he said.

There’s a chance not all on it get done, depending on the price of asphalt, he said.

“But at this point, we’re hoping we can do them all.”

A nearly $3-million contract to continue the Rapids Parkway extension also comes to council May 15.

The report to council notes that project, which would include a new road connecting Exmouth Street to Quinn Drive, a roundabout at Quinn Drive and Rapids Parkway, and traffic signals at Rapids Parkway and Exmouth Street, would likely start in July and finish later in the fall.

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Proposed asphalt resurfacing projects, subject to city council approval May 15:

Project one:

•Thorncrest Road – Colborne Road to Sherwood Trail

•Sherwood Trail – Ridgewood Drive to dead end

•Beach Lane – Lakeshore Road to Colborne Road

•Lombardy Drive – Giffel Road to Severin Drive

•Retlaw Drive – Evan Street to McKay Avenue

•Retlaw Drive – Forest Street to dead end

•Errol Road – Indian Road to Michigan Avenue

•Lee Court – Murphy Road to dead end

•Randy Road – Vye Street to dead end

•Champlain Road – Errol Road to Thomas Drive

•King Street – Hall Street to Oakdale Avenue

•Lake Chipican Drive, Andover Lane, Charlesworth Lane – Canatara Beach entrance to Christina Street

•McCaw Street – McKay Avenue to Rowe Avenue

Project two:

•Telfer Road – Michigan Line to Jackson Road

Project three:

•Davis Street – Brock Street to Christina Street

•Bright Street – East Street to Russell Street (excludes Palmerston intersection)

•Bright Street – Mitton Street to Forsyth Street

•Gladwish Drive – Plank Road to dead end

•Nelson Street – Lydia Street to Christina Street

•Eastwood Street – William Avenue to Hillary Street

•Kintail Street – Mack Avenue to Palmerston Street

•Mack Avenue – Confederation Street to Ontario Street

•Southern Avenue – Eastwood Street to Maxwell Street

•Hamilton Road – Kaymar Crescent to Waterworks Road

•Hamilton Road – Westgrove Drive to Brigden Road