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Henday connector project delayed

Construction will get under way next week on one set of connector roads to the Anthony Henday, but another major project has been delayed until next year.

Construction will get under way next week on one set of connector roads to the Anthony Henday, but another major project has been delayed until next year.

Work will get begin around the intersection of Boudreau Road and 142 Street/Veness Road this coming week, but another project on Sir Winston Churchill Avenue is being put off until 2011.

The two projects were supposed to run simultaneously, but city project manager Larry Galye said that with work already being done on St. Albert Trail, Ray Gibbon Drive and Campbell Road, they felt working on Churchill would be too much for commuters.

"We just felt that trying to close Churchill down was just going to have too much of an impact on traffic," he said. "We will need to close Sir Winston Churchill completely. We have to lower that road two feet."

The city received Building Canada grants from the federal and provincial governments, covering two-thirds of the $11.2 million cost for the two projects.

This year's project will widen Boudreau to four lanes from where it currently narrows, all the way to the intersection and do the same to 142 Street to where it connects with the new ring road.

The Boudreau project was budgeted at $3.5 million, but is coming in at $2.5 million, including the contract and other incidentals like new traffic lights.

If the savings continue Galye said, the city could use the funds to complete LeClair Way from Sir Winston Churchill to Ray Gibbon Drive.

Galye said this project shouldn't have a big impact on traffic and there are no planned closures.

"We have made a commitment to the businesses and the casino site that we would keep traffic open."

The grant money the city received was part of the federal stimulus program, but unlike much of the program, does not have a 2011 deadline before which the funds must be spent.

Galye said he is also confident the roads will be ready when the Henday opens next fall.

Mark Basher, deputy project manager, said the construction of Anthony Henday has suffered some setbacks this year, but should be able to keep on schedule.

"We have been impacted by the wet weather. It has affected our ability to finalize earthwork and get under way with our roadwork."

Basher said the size of the project means they can move workers around and adjust and pick up time later on. "The project is so large that one end of the site can be impacted by an overnight rain event and not the other end."

He said they came into the construction season with a slight schedule advantage, which has now been erased. He is hopeful they can get some of it back this year.

As much of last year was spent relocating utilities to make way for the road, this year they have been starting to work on the road itself.

"This is actually forming the road and making it look like a proper road."

Closures this weekend

As part of the ongoing construction, the ramp from westbound Yellowhead Trail onto the northbound Anthony Henday and Ray Gibbon Drive will be closed this weekend.

The closure starts Saturday morning at 5 a.m. and the ramp will re-open Monday at 5 a.m.

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