iN QUERY: Kamloops road projects got you scratching your head?
Here at iNFOnews.ca we try to answer the questions that are important to you. Stuck in busier-then-normal traffic like most Kamloops drivers this summer, one reader asked why it seems road construction is moving slowly.
One bridge is being repaved in the first summer since the Red Bridge burned down, while multiple road projects from Brocklehurst to downtown further slow traffic.
Reaching out to iNFOnews.ca, this reader's particular concern was the Overlanders Bridge project.
"With school starting again in less than 2 weeks, and the increase in traffic that will result I have questions about the Overlanders Bridge work – and I know almost everyone who drives it regularly has the same questions," she said in an email to iNFOnews.ca.
We sent her questions to staff at city hall overseeing the project. Here's what we heard from civic construction manager Wayne Lockhart:
Q: Why is there only ever one crew working with less than 10 people?
A: The contractor has been configuring their crew size based on the needs of the project as they work through the different phases. It would not be uncommon to see different size crews throughout the project.
Q: Why does it seem like they are never doing a full day—appearing on the bridge around 8 a.m. and gone before 3 p.m.?
A: The contractor has been starting early to avoid the heat later in the day – typically they are getting to site around 4am. Avoiding the hottest part of the day allows for appropriate installation of the construction materials and also aligns with WorkSafeBC’s guidelines around performing this type of construction work in the temperatures that we have been experiencing.
Q: Is Overlanders Bridge rehabilitation on time and when is it expected to be complete?
A: At this point in the project – the contractor is on schedule to complete the project on time. This project should be completed around mid-October.
Q: Why aren't crews working overnight?
A: The contractor ultimately manages their team’s work schedule. They are aware of the completion deadline and work towards meeting that expectation, ... (but) the addition of a second “afternoon” crew would not be an efficient use of taxpayer dollars as the curing/drying of the construction materials takes place while the crew is off-site.
Q: Has the city adjusted timing of road projects following the Red Bridge fire?
A: The loss of the Red Bridge has not directly resulted in the City having to reschedule or postpone projects. We are continually monitoring other projects throughout the City, and make project decisions based on the information we are collecting.
Q: How much of this year's traffic congestion around Kamloops is because of the Red Bridge fire?
A: We have noticed the additional congestion around the projects within the City as well as the highways. There are a number of factors that could be potentially contributing to the congestion we are observing but we would not want to speculate that this congestion is directly related to the loss of the Red Bridge.
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