After months of construction and detours Fredericton’s newest roundabout is slated to open sometime on Friday—at least mostly.
A stray utility pole was blocking part of the new roundabout at Lincoln and Wilsey roads, having been paved around during construction. The pole has caused a stir in Fredericton drawing laughter online and exasperation from those who live in the area.
Ray Harris would take that intersection multiple times a day when it’s open and says the pole just adds to frustration he’s felt over this year’s construction season.
“It’s been a bad summer and it’s been a really bad start to the school year. It’s been miserable dealing with 8 a.m. traffic, everyone is doing the same detours,” he said.
“I was really looking forward to that not being the case anymore.”
On Friday morning utility trucks were moving wires and the offending pole had its top cut off. Concrete blocks have also been laid to keep traffic away once the roundabout opens.
The City of Fredericton did not make anyone available for an interview but said in a statement that the roundabout will be partially open to traffic sometime Friday afternoon.
“The utility pole in question existed previously. It was paved around by crews so that the roundabout could be partially opened, while communications reconnections are being finished. Once that work is done, the pole will no longer serve a purpose and be removed. It was not built into the roundabout,” said spokesperson Shasta Stairs in an email.
“The City has been working with multiple utilities, who must coordinate their moves together.”
Stairs added that the work is expected to be complete sometime next week, with the roundabout fully open shortly after. In the meantime, concrete barriers will stay in place in order to keep drivers away from the pole.
Who exactly is responsible for the mishap is still unclear.
Asked for comment a spokesperson for NB Power said that they had already wrapped up their work on the site.
“This is not an NB Power pole. NB Power has completed its work on the Lincoln Rd roundabout. The City of Fredericton would be better positioned to comment on the progress of the project,” said Dominique Couture in an email.
Bell Aliant did not immediately respond to an email asking if the pole belongs to them.
Frederictonians have been feeling construction woes through much of the summer. The construction of the Lincoln Road roundabout led to lengthy detours for those travelling back and forth from Lincoln to downtown, while closures of Regent Street led to a frustrating commute for people on both sides of the bridge.
Harris says that he’s happy to see the end of the Lincoln Road project and is taking the pole as an opportunity to find a little levity in the situation.
“Maybe a nice little Christmas present for us folks in Lincoln will be a fully functioning intersection.”
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