WATCH ABOVE: Thousands of commuters can breathe a sigh of relief since Groat Road will reopen in time for the morning rush hour. Fletcher Kent reports.
EDMONTON — Nearly four weeks after it was originally closed for weekend bridge work, Groat Road was reopened to traffic at 6 a.m. on Tuesday. The City of Edmonton said related-parking restrictions will gradually be lifted over the course of the day, and changes will be made to traffic signals as required.
Groat Road between 107 Avenue and River Valley Road was closed on March 13 so crews could get the steel girders in place for the new 102 Avenue bridge. During that process, four of the girders mysteriously buckled and city crews had been working feverishly to stabilize the bridge ever since.
READ MORE: Progress being made on buckled girders over Groat Road
After the girders buckled in mid-March, a super crane was brought in to shift them back into place. That crane was taken apart and moved off site last week. Additional bracing was installed over the weekend, and engineers assessed the overall stability of the structure.
Periodic closures during off-peak times, such as evenings and weekends, will take place over the next several weeks while an assessment of the girders takes place. That will help the city determine a new schedule for the 102 Avenue bridge project.
“We will know more in the weeks ahead how construction will move forward,” said Barry Belcourt, manager of Road Design and Construction with the City of Edmonton, last week.
The bridge was supposed to be open by September, but the bent girders could delay the opening date for up to a year. The contractor will cover the additional costs associated with the delay.
*NOTE: This article was originally posted on April 2 and was updated on April 7.
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