REGINA – With the sun shining and the snow gone, it means construction season is underway in Regina.
With construction comes traffic delays, and the city is set to be filled with them.
A record $21.7 million will be spent on 41 different road renewal projects this year, with $7.5 million of that being dedicated to residential roads.
Karen Gasmo, the Executive Director of Transportation Utilities for the City of Regina, pointed out the city is aware of the road conditions.
“Our residential roadway network has certainly got more poor roads,” said Gasmo. “It is something that we are focusing on this year which is why the residential roadway program was introduced.”
Ring Road is set for delays. There will be major construction on it over the course of the summer, and that includes work on McDonald Street and Albert street north access points.
Another major undertaking is replacing the bridges on Victoria Avenue. The bridges, located slightly east of Coleman crescent, are set to be replaced with box culverts which are large pipes re-enforced with concrete. There will be some lane restrictions and detours will be created to help travelers around the construction. No start date has been determined.
Mayor Michael Fougere sees the upcoming construction as essential.
“Widening the street for capacity is important, and those bridges are past their lifespan. We really do have to go get those fixed,” he said.
- ‘Shock and disbelief’ after Manitoba school trustee’s Indigenous comments
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
- Several baby products have been recalled by Health Canada. Here’s the list
- ‘Sciatica was gone’: hospital performs robot-assisted spinal surgery in Canadian first
It’s not just road construction that will be causing delays, the new stadium build will also give some drivers frustration.
Elphinstone Street will be down to one southbound lane as heavy equipment and vehicles will occupy the other lane for at least 5 months.
While these new obstacles can be infuriating for drivers, the city sees light at the end of the tunnel.
“The end result is better infrastructure, better streets and better movement of traffic. Just please be patient. Be careful. Watch for workers, and make sure that they are safe as well,” said Mayor Fougere.
In addition to road work, the city will also be improving sewage and drainage to help combat flooding.
A map showing the construction sites, as well as daily road reports, can be found on the City of Regina website.
Comments