By Katie Ryan
Paving is scheduled to begin today on Highway 16.
Following much delay and frustration on behalf of both motorists and the city, results from quality control tests have given the city the green light to continue the west-bound lane roadwork on the highway. Work on the road from 62 Avenue to 80 Avenue was set back by approximately 10 days due to poor quality control test results.
“The contractor submitted a mix design and some of the tests within that mix design failed. Then they had to do retests and unfortunately some of those retesting takes 14 days,” said director of planning and public works Adam Homes of the delay.
“We did do some other tests that are similar and will hopefully give us the same results, those tests had a shorter timeline so we were able to complete those tests and now give them the go ahead.”
Paving crews began the preparation work for an asphalt overlay on Friday, Aug. 6 which is expected to be completed tomorrow. Two-way traffic will be maintained, however, minor delays can be expected.
Now that paving can begin, crews are expected to take a week to complete this portion of the highway before they begin work on the east-bound lane.
“They will flip over and start the whole process again,” said Homes of the work that will continue Highway 16.
“We’ll just move the traffic over and start working on the south portions of the roadways.”
Two-lane traffic will switch to the west-bound lane as crews work on the other side of the highway while designated left hand turn locations will be maintained to limit further traffic delays.
Homes said the pavement delay will not impact the overall cost and estimates that “if everything goes smoothly” the roadwork will be completed in mid-September.