Wortley's woes as construction season enters winter season
Already at their wits' end, homeowners along a stretch of Wortley Road are learning that road reconstruction will have to pause for the winter and resume next spring.
“It is frustrating,” admits homeowner Reg Watson. “Now we are into the wet weather and we’re looking at a muddy situation.”
Work to replace sewers, water mains, stormwater drains and other infrastructure began in May and was to be substantially completed by late fall.
Supply chain issues are being blamed for slowing the arrival of water mains for the project.
“With Wortley, it was definitely delays because of the water main supply issues,” explains Jennie Dann, director of Construction and Infrastructure. “That did push us back later than originally planned.”
Dann expects the water main installation should be completed this month.
Before Christmas, the contractor will winterize the road with a temporary hard surface.
Permanent sidewalks, curbs, and asphalt must wait until spring.
“There won’t be time to do the permanent concrete ones, they’ll try to put in the temporary asphalt sidewalks so there is a hard surface that can be maintained over the winter,” says Dann.
“For some people this is a safety issue,” says Betty Barrett, who lives on Wortley Road. “This is not just an inconvenience for people with disabilities, this is a barrier to their inclusion in our neighborhood.”
Barrett believes more should be done to assist neighbours who have limited mobility, visual impairment or anxiety during the extended construction period.
Dann says the delay will not impact the timeline of next year’s phase of reconstruction along Wortley Road.
Additional costs related to the delay will be covered by the project’s contingency budget.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.