By Lara Fominoff @LaraFominoff on Twitter

5 Avenue North watermain replacement project to continue into the fall

Jul 24, 2018 | 1:38 PM

LETHBRIDGE – UDPATE: The City of Lethbridge’s Jeremy Charlesworth says Phase Two of the project will be completed prior to Phase One, to allow for better access to Immanuel Christian Schools by the beginning of September. Access will still be somewhat restricted to Westminster Elementary School until Oct. 13.

For those hoping that 5 Avenue North near Mayor Magrath Drive will re-open to traffic soon – they’ll be waiting a long time.

At Monday’s City Council meeting, several inquiries were made about various construction projects in Lethbridge, including the one on 5 Avenue North, between 16 Street North and 23 Street North.

According to City Director of Infrastructure Services, Doug Hawkins, the area will be closed to all traffic for another two months until late September or even early October.

Hawkins says the watermains in the area were installed between 1939 and 1954 and have reached the end of their life cycles.  

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Several watermain breaks have occurred and service is unreliable for residents.

However, progress on the project is being made.

“Weather permitting it is on track, and the contractor is on track…there’s limited options with respect to the detours that are there right now. We really have no choice but to detour into the residential areas right now.”

When asked why city crews don’t work around the clock so closures could be shorter, Hawkins said much of the work being done not only on 5 Avenue North, but on other streets, occur in residential areas.

“There are very few projects that we’re doing that aren’t either in the middle of residential neighborhoods or adjacent to a residential neighborhood. And frankly, those neighborhoods don’t want to see construction noise.”

Construction, he explained, doesn’t generally extend beyond the supper hours unless there’s an emergency, even though noise bylaws would allow crews to continue until 10 p.m.

Hawkins added that it also costs a lot more money for crews to work around the clock.

In the meantime, westbound traffic will be detoured to 6 Avenue North and eastbound traffic will be detoured to 5A Avenue North and 6 Avenue North.