Jeremy Charlesworth, Water and Wastewater Project Technologist says re-paving the area won’t occur for quite some time yet.

“What we’ve done now is just patched it, because they like to wait about two years just for any settlement from the trenches to go through, and they’ll look at paving it after that point.”

He explains that any time a road is dug up and re-packed, there needs to be a waiting period. If the stretch of road were re-paved now, the bending, buckling and huge potholes that have plagued parts of the area over the years, might continue.

“If we just pave the patches now, wait the two years for any settlement occuring to happen and then pave it, you’ll end up with a better product.”

The eastbound lanes were once again closed to traffic Tuesday, Oct. 23, after a sewer line collapse. It’s something Charlesworth says will happen as well from time to time, because the older sewer lines were not replaced when the water lines were. The lines are about 5 metres apart.

Watermain Lining Replacement

Another extensive north-end project involves putting a liner through water main pipes dating back to the 1950s, in the area around Wilson Middle School.

The $1.6 million project runs from 15 St. to 23 St. N on 13 Ave. N., between 13 Ave. and 11 A Ave. N. on 23 St. N., 10 Ave N between 19 and 20 St. N. and 20 St. N. between 10 Ave and 12 Ave. N.

“We dig access pits, put a liner through the pipe and then a robot comes through and cuts off all the services and then that way we don’t have to completely shut down the road and dig it all up like we did on 5th.”

Temporary water lines are also being run extensively throughout the area so the water supply for local residents isn’t compromised.

The project is expected to continue for the next several weeks before it’s completed.