Watch above: it may be on budget but a new tunnel project is behind schedule
SASKATOON – The McOrmond Drive tunnel project is well underway on the east side of Saskatoon, preparing for future growth.
On the surface, work is being done to the city’s Holmwood development sector across from Wilson’s Greenhouse and Garden Centre in Saskatoon.
Around 50 feet underground is a new storm sewer that will run from the corner of McOrmond and College Drive to Attridge Drive.
“Most major cities as you get larger and larger and the extents of your city get further and further away from your treatment plants and that type of thing you need to look to alternative technology such as this,” said Dan Willems, the city’s special projects manager.
While the sanitary sewer was completed in April, there is still 4,600 feet to dig in the second tunnel, putting the project behind schedule.
“The grounds been a little bit harder than we thought, we’ve dealt with that and we’re moving right through that with no real issues,” said Craig Vandaelle, Michel’s Canada project manager.
The winter weather did not help the project.
“We’ve had two rough winters, last year was very snowy and this year was really cold and there’s only so much you can plan for in those occasions,” said Vandaelle.
Now, the City of Saskatoon is working with the contractor to make sure the delay doesn’t financially impact them.
“It’s a design-build which puts a lot of the regular risk the city would assume on these types of projects onto the contractor,” said Willems.
“The contract value is $32 million and that hasn’t changed.”
The project is expected to be fully completed in December.
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