Businesses frustrated with Pasqua project delays

REGINA – New road projects are beginning to pop up around the city but one in particular has left some residents frustrated.

Construction on Pasqua Street north began in October of 2011 and gets underway again on Tuesday.

“It’ll improve service for existing customers and it will also allow for further development in the north end,” said Pat Wilson, acting director of water works services with the city. “The city of Regina apologizes for the delays associated.”

The project, to install a new pump station, has been hampered by setbacks and some businesses in the area say they have suffered financially.

“People see the construction and they don’t want to come in here,” said Mary Spurr, who works at Old Fashion Foods. “There’s a lot of people living out in this direction. A lot of people work out here and shop out here and people start getting used to going elsewhere.”

For the next six weeks, Pasqua Street north will be down to two lanes for crews to fix a leaking water line but following that period Enbridge crews will take over in the area. The business exits for Wal-Mart and Sobeys will remain open during this time and there are no restrictions on the southbound lanes.

In 2012, a city contractor found contaminated soil from a pipeline.

“The plan that Enbridge has submitted will take into consideration minimizing traffic restrictions,” said Wilson. “But they do have to do the work to the standard and so there will be some disruptions at that time.”

The Pasqua site is just one of the current projects.

Traffic is restricted at the Ross Avenue overpass for the next five months and 7th Avenue east at Wadey Drive to Prince of Wales Drive is closed until the weekend.

“This is one of our bigger bridge projects (at the Ross Avenue overpass) for the year. The last one for Ross was done in 1994,” said Adam Holmes, director of roadway operations and traffic services with the city. “And that will give us another 20 to 25 years.”