Mayor Don Iveson is having city staff look into whether there’s a better way to do road construction in Edmonton.
What he has in mind is completely closing a road when it’s under construction to shorten the amount of time traffic is impacted. That would be instead of closing only one side to allow traffic to squeeze through – and then the other side – over a longer period of time.
The mayor acknowledged there’s some risk and reward to the idea. A street could get closed and weather could keep it that way for longer than expected.
“People ask about that too,” Iveson said. “‘Why is nothing happening here?’ Well, it’s because everyone is waiting for the cement to dry. So let’s just pour all the cement, get it done, let it dry and open the road again.
“It’s just looking at whether there’s a more efficient and effective way that we can do these paving jobs that reduce the disruption for everybody involved. And maybe it’s super disruptive for a weekend – or a week even – and then it’s done and life goes on.”
Iveson admitted in some cases – like the closure this summer of 72 Avenue – motorists will have to find alternate routes around the construction area.
The mayor has also asked about construction crews working later into the evening.
Answers to his inquiry will come back sometime after the election on Oct. 16.
Watch below: On Oct. 14, 2016, Fletcher Kent filed this report as a few Edmonton construction projects were up in the air because of unseasonably cold and snowy weather.