Project Update - September 7, 2018
The project team, in collaboration with industry experts, evaluated the length of construction if the bridge is closed entirely, however it was determined that given the scope of work required, the overall construction duration would not be substantially shortened by this option. Maintaining one lane in each direction is a balance between construction duration and river crossing access to vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the area.
In order to complete rehabilitation on the Groat Road over Victoria Park Road Bridge, traffic on Groat Road northbound must be reduced to a single lane to provide work space for the Contractor. The project team installed a new temporary signal light at the intersection of Groat Road northbound and River Valley westbound to regulate the merging traffic north of the intersection. It is expected that construction on the Groat Road over Victoria Park Road Bridge will be completed by the end of October 2018, at which time the temporary signal at the north end of the bridge, which is causing congestion later in the afternoon, will then be deactivated to resume the free flow of traffic on Groat Road northbound lanes.
All work done to date on the Groat Road river crossing was to move traffic to the east side of the bridge giving the Contractor the west half to work on. A Gantry crane is being installed that will begin removing the existing deck and girders starting in November, once this demolition of the west half is complete new girders will be installed starting in February 2019 which will be followed by pouring of a new deck starting in May 2019. When the west half is complete traffic will be placed on the new side and the entire process will be repeated on the east half of the bridge. Project completion is fall of 2020 and this bridge river crossing will be one lane in each direction for the duration of the project.
Pedestrian and cyclist traffic is currently being accommodated on the east sidewalk of the river bridge. This former shared-use path has been reclassified as a sidewalk through the duration of this construction due to the narrowed travel width. This sidewalk has been signed for cyclists to dismount or continue to travel on the roadway. The project team thanks cyclists for their cooperation in dismounting and sharing this river crossing space with all modes of transportation.
Additionally, the City project team is proactively working with the Contractor to devise an optimum strategy for enhanced snow removal on the river bridge during the winter seasons.
