The City of Calgary says work to “urgently” expedite construction of a replacement for the recently ruptured and repaired Bearspaw South Feeder Main will begin Jan. 23.
The project will involve the construction of a steel pipe of the same size and parallel to the existing pipe.
The city says that in time, the new feeder main will take over service from the existing line, which Mayor Jeromy Farkas has described as being “terminally ill” after it experienced a catastrophic rupture twice in less than two years and is in urgent need of replacement.
The replacement of the pipe will also involve tunnelling under a number of busy roadways, including 16th Avenue (TCH), the Bow River, Sarcee Trail and the CPKC rail line.
The city says that work crews will begin setting up at several work sites on Friday, including:
- Edworthy Park, near a section of the Bow River Pathway in the Edworthy Park North Parking lot
- Shouldice Park, between 16 Avenue N.W. and Bowness Road N.W.
- Sarcee Trail site, near 73 Street N.W. and Bonita Crescent N.W.
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The work will include setting up construction signage, temporary fences and offices, tree protection measures, including the removal of trees when necessary, and mobilization of heavy equipment.
The city is also asking motorists and residents to keep an eye out for crews working in the area to protect their safety.
The first stage of the project will be located at the Shaganappi Pump Station, near the intersection of Bowness Road and Shaganappi Trail, extending to 73 Street northwest on the west side of the Bow River.
The City of Calgary cancelled its normal competitive bid process and instead awarded a sole-source contract for the twinning of the Bearspaw Feeder Main.
The project is scheduled to be completed in Dec. 2026, which Farkas says will shrink the timeline for what would normally be a four-year project to just one year.
More details on the project are available on the city’s website at calgary.ca/BSFMproject.
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