WESTLOCK – Construction crews will get a 30-day head start on the massive $7.35 million 108th Street reconstruction project, which is now slated to start April 6.
Town of Westlock CAO Simone Wiley said 108th Street residents and businesses have been notified of the early start date as the job had originally been slated to begin May 1 and continue throughout the summer. The road will receive a fresh asphalt overlay, new curbs, gutters and sidewalks as well as a new storm sewer line, sanitary sewer line and sanitary water line.
“The weather has really facilitated an early start so they’re able to start next week, I believe on Tuesday,” said Wiley April 1.
Timelines and the scope of work for the massive reconstruction project were laid out during a 35-minute online information session hosted by the Town of Westlock Feb. 17. Moderated by 108th Street project manager John Simcock and featuring reps from MPE Engineering and Knelsen Sand & Gravel, the session had 14 attendees including town councillors and staff, plus one 108th business rep and a single Whissellville-area resident.
“With good weather this is a full summer project. With bad weather it could be a carry-over project. So, it’ll be a construction zone for the duration of the summer. We’ve allocated the season for the job,” said Knelsen Sand & Gravel senior construction manager Darrell Quist during that meeting, noting crews will be working on site six days a week.
“It’s not going to be a mud hole ever … from what we can see there’s enough granular that we’re going to conserve in the removal of the asphalt so it’ll be all-weather passable. We see the viability of no interruption to the agricultural services on 108 Street.”
Knelsen project manager Shawn Wieler says the job is a two-stage process as they’ll start at the west end of 108th Street and head towards the high point, block by block. Knelsen officials have also confirmed that at least one entrance to the street will remain open throughout construction.
“There will be access from one end or the other … and there may be times when there’s access from both simultaneously. But there’ll never be no access,” Quist confirmed. “Our communication with the local businesses, emergency services and the Town of Westlock is going to be the key component to making sure that there’s awareness of detours for people who are normally commuting through the area. It is going to be a construction zone for the duration of the summer.”
