SASKATOON – With an original due date of September 2012, Saskatoon’s largest infrastructure project is finally nearing its extended deadline.
Despite numerous delays, the city is confident the $300 million project will be up and running by the latest deadline, July 31.
Weather appears to be cooperating and construction work is full steam ahead.
“If we have some bad weather for a long time it may affect it, but now we’re completely optimistic about having it traffic ready by the end of July,” said project manager Doug Drever.
The project includes five interchanges, 10 km of freeway and the new South Bridge.
“There’s probably in the neighborhood of some 40 days left of paving, we want to have all that paving done and all the signs and markings done by the end of July and open up by the end of July,” Drever added.
For the first time in Saskatoon, two asphalt spreaders are being used alongside each other which the city said should create a better seal and hopefully reduce cracking and potholes on the freeway.
Despite being 10 months behind schedule, paving crews did not capitalize on the good weather over the May long weekend.
“The contractor who does the paving has an agreement with their staff that they do not work long weekends so they did not work this past weekend,” explained Mr Drever.
Contractor, Graham/Flatiron, has been subject to a $10,000 penalty for every day the project is late, with the exception of the winter months. However, the city says that is negotiable and will be discussed once the project is finally complete.
“Of course I would have liked to have been finished last year, but it’s been a pretty bad three years of wet records here,” said Mr Drever.
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