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Bridge work causing Groat Road to close again this weekend

Groat Road will be closed for much of the upcoming weekend so work can be done on the 102 Avenue Bridge.
Groat Road will be closed for much of the upcoming weekend so work can be done on the 102 Avenue Bridge. Charles Taylor, Global News

EDMONTON – Work on the much-maligned 102 Avenue Bridge will once again shut down Groat Road to traffic.

The City of Edmonton says Groat Road will be closed on Saturday, March 5 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. from 107 Avenue to River Valley Road. The same closure could be in effect on Sunday, March 6.

The Groat Road multi-use trail will be closed at the same time.

The road closure is needed so that overhead work on the bridge can be done to prepare for concrete deck pouring. The city is posting updates here.

The $32-million project was originally scheduled to be complete by September 2015, but after troubles with the bridge girders, the city says it’s expected to open by fall 2016.

READ MORE: Twisted metal over Groat Road leads to indefinite closure 

Three of the girders mysteriously buckled on March 16, which forced the closure of a portion of Groat Road for several weeks as crews worked to stabilize the structure.

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The bent girders were removed, repaired and reinstalled. The city said the repaired girders have passed all required inspections and the bridge structure has been deemed safe to resume construction. With much work to be done, the city said construction crews are working upwards of 17 hours per day, seven days a week to complete the project.

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The contractor is being fined for every day the project goes over its original completion date so the city won’t have to pay for the extra costs associated with the delay.

Since construction began, Groat Road has been intermittently closed – usually on weekends – to accommodate various projects.

READ MORE: Edmonton business says 102 Avenue Bridge construction to blame for closure 

The extended road closure and construction delays contributed to at least one area business shutting down.

READ MORE: Commuter relief coming to Stony Plain Road 

The detour also led to parking concerns along Stony Plain Road.

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