THUNDER BAY – Construction crews are busy throughout the city with many projects underway during the heart of the summer.
“We’ve had a good start this year,” city project engineer Rick Harms said on Wednesday. “We have a number of projects that have already wrapped up for the season.”
Work on the High Street retaining wall, which was carried over from last year, has already been completed. Crews had curb and gutter additions, as well as pavement work, to finish. The completion of the project had resulted in the closure of High Street between Bay Street and Cornwall Avenue.
Work on a section of Edward Street between Parkway and Churchill drives has also been wrapped up. Repaving Victoria Avenue immediately west of Waterloo Street has been finished, though a two or three-day closure is anticipated next week for pavement markings.
The Main Street Bridge rehabilitation, a two-year project, is progressing. The bridge is expected to remain mostly open to traffic.
“There are some scheduled detours that will take place throughout the duration of that project,” Harms said. “There will be others that will be announced in the media when it’s time for various stages of the work.”
The first 48-hour detour took place late last week.
A storm sewer separation project on a two-block section of Arthur Street east of James Street is more than halfway done. Traffic has been restricted to one lane in each direction and work is expected to be completed within the next two or three weeks.
“We’re removing street catch basin runoff from what is the original combined sewer system from the city of Fort William,” Harms said. “This will enhance the ability to reduce the risk of basement flooding in areas and the loading on the city’s sewer treatment plant.”
Nighttime detours remain in effect on Highway 61 while four structures along the roadway between the Thunder Bay International Airport and Broadway Avenue are repaired. The detour takes traffic east on Broadway to Neebing Avenue to reconnect with the highway at the airport.
Work on multiple parts of Court Street will remain ongoing for much of the season. A section between Bay and Wilson streets will continue road, sewer and watermain construction that began last year while repaving is taking place between Egan and Gibson streets further north.
The first phase of construction on Selkirk Street has been wrapped up, with the continuation of the project heading south to Walsh Street expected to proceed through the rest of the month.
Harms said the addition of a right turn lane at Memorial Avenue and Harbour Expressway should get underway soon, as well as repaving and curb repair on Edward Street between Walsh and Mary streets.
A pedestrian crossover is scheduled to be installed at James Street and Vale Crescent later this summer.
