Mission Avenue will be stripped down and completely rebuilt this summer to allow for sewer repairs and the installation of new stormwater infrastructure.
The $5-million project will mean that the road will be closed, in phases, between St. Albert Trail and Mount Royal Drive, from May until late August or early September, depending on weather conditions.
Starting May 14, Mission Avenue will be closed from St. Albert Trail to Perron Street. It will re-open mid-July. Then the second half of the road – from Perron Street to Mount Royal Drive, will be closed until September.
The reason for the rebuild is the state of the wastewater line, which is in poor condition, said City of St. Albert project manager Sue Howard at a community open house session Tuesday evening. The line is also located directly beneath the road, which was common practice when older neighbourhoods like Mission were built.
“Not only was it deteriorating to the point where it needed to be repaired, but it also needs to be upsized,” Howard said. “So in older neighbourhoods where the bigger lots used to be, and then they do infill developments, there’s a denser population and increased demand on the wastewater system.”
The contractor will also relocate a water pipe, as well as install a new storm pipe and several catch basins to improve stormwater management. When Mission was first built, overland drainage was used.
Howard said the city investigated using “trenchless technology” in which pipes are repaired with minimal digging, but said the location did not support that method due to the precision required.
“There’s not a lot of grade here so it would have to be extremely precise, which is very, very hard to do,” she said.
The biggest disruption to residents, businesses and other buildings in the area – such as Ă©cole Father Jan – will be access. Some users will have to take alternate routes while others could find themselves completely “land locked” by the construction.
Howard said the city has sent out letters to all residents and nearby homeowners, asking them to use their driveways to free up street parking for those who must park elsewhere. Special permits are also being issued to allow parking in areas where it typically is not permitted.
The city will also replace all driveway aprons and pararamps along Mission. Any pieces of sidewalk identified as a tripping hazard or in poor condition will also be replaced. While the road will re-open completely in September, it could be October before all of the landscaping and clean-up is finished.
Kim Cohen, who lives at the corner of Mount Royal Drive and Mission, isn’t worried about access as much as noise. She’s also concerned the area in front of her house could turn into a “meeting place” for workers on coffee breaks and doesn’t want to have to deal with the litter.
“Our summers are short as it is and summer is the only time we have to enjoy the outdoors,” she said. “I like to be outside, I like to garden, and if these guys are going to be making the noise and everything, that’s what I’m worried about.”
But she said the road does need to be rebuilt.
“The road is all beat up. It gets used a lot. There’s a lot of traffic on that road.”
Claude Valliere, who also lives on Mount Royal Drive, was relieved to find out his home won’t be affected by the construction. He says he doesn’t have a problem with the work because it has to be done.
“I definitely understand the need to replace the water line and adding the extra storm sewer in that area. Therefore, it’s progress,” he said. “We can’t just say ‘I can’t have it here’ because I live here.”
