A water line repair project is forcing the city to temporarily shut down the St. Albert Centre transit station starting April 28, with an expected re-opening date of August 25, the City announced on April 4.
“All buses will be redirected to bus stops located along Muir Drive and St. Vital Avenue,” the announcement reads. “Temporary bus signage, with route numbers, will be posted along Muir Drive.”
“Vehicle parking for transit patrons will remain available at the St. Albert Centre site. Transit users will be required to walk across St. Albert Trail to Muir Drive [as] parking along Muir Drive will not be permitted.”
The city's announcement also states that the Muir Drive and St. Vital Avenue intersection will be turned into a four-way stop to accommodate the additional pedestrian and vehicle traffic that the relocation is expected to cause.
The need to relocate the transit centre for the summer stems from a substantial construction project that will require the closure of Rivercrest Crescent. The project involves installing a new watermain crossing underneath the Sturgeon River parallel to the St. Albert Trail bridge, to which the existing watermain is currently attached.
“In early 2022, a portion of the St. Albert Trail watermain that is suspended under the St. Albert Trail bridge was damaged,” the city's website says about the project. “The watermain froze and a leak was discovered at the transition coupling between the ductile iron and steel pipes on the south side of the river crossing.”
“The watermain will be repaired by installing a new watermain crossing under the Sturgeon River to bypass the bridge. The existing watermain on the bridge will be removed and the existing underground portions will be abandoned in place.”
Residents of the Sturgeon Point Villas at 500 Rivercrest Crescent will also lose two entry points to the buildings' parking lots. The access points that will remain open are those closest to the mall, while the access points near the McDonald's will be closed during construction.
The City's April 4 announcement says that the city will have further announcements to make in the coming weeks or months about how the construction will effect park and ride programs for the Farmers' Market and other events.
