Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Crews are expected to finish construction along Connaught Drive this week, although some top-lift surfacing of streets will be completed next spring.
The final push comes amid a heavy snowfall that blanketed the townsite.
鈥淲e knew that we were going to be pushing the weather timeline with this project right from the very start,鈥� said Bill Given, chief administrative officer with the Municipality of Jasper.
鈥淲e have been doing the entire project on a compressed timeline, just starting the design at the start of this year, and we were very intentional about not starting construction until later in the tourist season. We wanted to try to minimize the disruption to Connaught during the peak visitor season.鈥�
Beginning late in the summer, the servicing project consists of installing utilities to enable the development of new housing, and extending a sidewalk
The construction has impacted traffic and closed off streets.
Given said this disruption can sometimes take the focus off the ultimate goal of the project.
鈥淭he 鈥榳hy鈥� still remains the ability to increase options for new housing in the community, which we know is the largest priority for Jasper,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 an important reminder that this infrastructure isn鈥檛 there just so we can have more pipes. The pipes are there so we can have more homes for people to live in.鈥�
The bottom lift of asphalt has been completed on Connaught Drive, including the turning lane into Pine Avenue and the westbound lane at the intersection.
Crews still need to finish the bottom lift for Spruce Avenue, and the top lift for the intersections of Spruce-Patricia, Spruce-Connaught and Pine-Connaught.
The bottom lift is scheduled to be done during a window this Wednesday and Thursday after the snow is cleared from these areas.
Crews will return to complete the top lift in the spring for a brief period.
鈥淥verall, the project has proceeded at really what, in my experience, is an amazing pace,鈥� Given said.
鈥淭o be able to do a project of this scale and size in the complexities of working in a national park in less than 12 months is pretty amazing, and I鈥檓 very proud of the team of consultants and contractors and municipal employees that we have.鈥�
The construction has impacted some businesses near the area, mainly the Petro-Canada station and Bright Spot Family Restaurant.
Subtain Ashraf with Petro-Canada Jasper said he wasn鈥檛 against the project but noted how construction had limited the number of customers, especially when the road was closed.
鈥淲e know this is the slowest month for Jasper, but still, this year, there鈥檚 a lot of movement and every business is not like last year. Every business is going up.鈥�
Ashraf added how signage wasn鈥檛 always clear.
鈥淲e rely mostly on local people, but if they give them less space, they can鈥檛 come to us. And we have to survive for ourselves during the summer and winter time. It鈥檚 very tough.鈥�
Given said the municipality was able to maintain access at all times to both Petro-Canada and Bright Spot.
The municipality also ensured no interruption to water service while water lines were being changed, even though this required special accommodation and additional flaggers to direct traffic.
鈥淏ut we were very please with our contractor鈥檚 commitment to ensuring that those businesses still had access, which obviously had to be a priority for us,鈥� Given said.
