Edmonton reports summer construction projects on track, on budget

It's not your imagination, city construction projects have seemingly been everywhere this season. But even with the pandemic, almost everything is on time and on budget, according to a mid-summer update.

Ninety-four per cent of construction projects are on budget and84 per cent are on schedule, the city said in a Thursday news release Thursday.

With 280 active infrastructure projects for the city, it is "one of our most ambitious construction seasonsthat we have ever had on record," said Jason Meliefste, acting deputy city manager of integrated infrastructure services.

"Construction work is well underway in all corners of the city," he said during a mid-season update of summer construction projects held at the Butler Memorial Park renewal project, at 15715 Stony Plain Road.

Work underway across the city includes the Yellowhead freeway conversion, numerous LRT projects and neighbourhood renewals as well as infrastructure maintenance like pothole repair.

Crews completed nearly 12,000 pothole and asphalt repairs last week, the news release said. Since the start of the year, 309,905 pothole and asphalt repairs have been completed about 60,000 more than in 2019.

"With fewer commuters, crews have been able to safely tend to more locations," the news release said.

As of Thursday, 117 bridges had been inspected and more than 107 bridges washed, more than planned by this time of year.

Capital projects underway

The city saidit has started the widening of Yellowhead Trail to three lanes in each direction from 61st Street to the North Saskatchewan River. A minimum of two lanes in each direction will be open during the daytime, with possible reductions and temporary ramp closures overnight.

Eastbound widening is expected to finish in 2021 with the westbound portion completed by the end of 2020. The Yellowhead Trail freeway conversion is expected to wrap up by the end of 2027.

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Meliefste said the Valley Line Southeast LRT project was among those projects trending late, with itstimeline moved into the summer/fall period of 2021. Construction is ongoing, with shelter structures going in for stops andthe final sets of cable stays being installed on Tawatin Bridge.

The 13th of 26 total low-floor trains for the line is also arriving in Edmonton.

The city also provided updates for several other capital projects:

• Groat Road Bridge remains one lane in both directions with full daytime closures planned for the end of September. The project is expected to be completed by the end of fall 2020.
• The Valley Line West LRT route is being prepared for full construction to begin next year.
• The pedestrian Khasinskk Bridge has been moved into place over Connors Road, with crews finalizing its installation.
• The Metro Line Northwest Extension Phase 1 from NAIT to Blatchford started construction in June.
• The city began major maintenance and revitalization projects in May for theLRT network, which is already more than 40 years old. Several LRT crossings have been enhanced and the McKernan LRT station platform has been upgraded.
• Work has started on the Stadium Station redevelopment, expected to be completed by January 2022.
• Sixteen projects areunderway under the neighbourhood renewal program.
• More than 100 kilometres of roadway and sidewalk are expected to be completed this year alongside over 10 kilometres of alleys reconstruction.

The city also saidit is working to build 16 playgrounds, including two natural playground projects, three spray parks, seven trail realignments or renewals, three sport fields and several "larger profile parks" including Kinistinw Park, the Beaumaris Lake Park rehabilitation project and the Butler Memorial Park renewal.

This year's construction season will employ around 10,000 people from around Edmonton directly for the projects and in related industries, according to the release.Projects will also use 300 vendors owned or based in Edmonton.

The city saidsafety remains the top priority, with the city and its contractors following public health requirements from Alberta Healthincluding sanitization and space for physical distancing.