Regina construction season nearing its end: ‘It has been a very busy year’

After four months of maneuvering through Lewvan Drive construction, residents are ready for it to end.

While northbound and southbound traffic is only restricted along Lewvan, there are intermittent closures at Fourth Avenue and Seventh Avenue, affecting vehicles travelling east and west.

The intermittent closures are creating a maze for nearby residents, who find it difficult to get out of the neighbourhood.

Lewvan Drive construction is one of 46 roadway projects and seven traffic projects remaining, according to the city’s road report. The $2.9-million project, which started in mid-May, should wrap up Saturday. The city says aside from a few days of rain delays, the project is on schedule.

The city is reminding residents to pay close attention to its website, as further closures along Lewvan Drive are expected in the coming days.

“I can report that Dewdney Avenue, for example, will be closed on both Thursday and Saturday,” said Chris Warren, City of Regina director of roadways and transportation.

“Seventh Avenue, which pretty much has been closed for the majority of this project, will be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.”

Lewvan isn’t the only long-term project nearing its end. Ongoing bridgework along Ring Road near Wascana Creek is expected to wrap up by the end of October.

It’s an end date that many university students are looking forward to.

Leach added the construction “easily tacks on 15 or 20 minutes” to his commute.

While many residents say this construction season dragged on too long, the city says it’s quite normal to have projects ongoing well into the fall.

“It has been a very busy year and typically we are paving right up until the snow flies and it is something that we are used to,” Warren said, adding crews are working evenings and weekends to adhere to the construction schedule.

“It’s just an effort to upgrade and renew our infrastructure and ensure that we’re providing that level of service to the community.”

Other projects in the works

Winnipeg Street work between 5th Avenue North and 2nd Avenue North is expected to wrap up early next week.

Concrete and paving for phase one of the two-year Victoria Avenue Beautification Project are set to finish Oct. 20.

It’s unclear if any of the roadway projects will have to be carried over to next year. The city says that decision is largely dependent on weather.

“Depending on when we get the colder temperatures, we can’t pour concrete,” Warren said. “We can’t pave roads when the temperatures are at or below zero degrees, so it all depends on the weather.”

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