Wet weather not slowing Simcoe construction

By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express

Despite a wet spring and the excessive amounts of rain pushing into the summer months, the reconstruction work that is currently closing a long section of Simcoe Street North remains on schedule.

The work, currently closing the major thoroughfare from Rossland Road to Robert Street just north of Oshawa’s downtown, has been ongoing since April and Bill Reid, project manager of capital construction for the Region of Durham, says things remain on schedule to reopen in the fall.

“The work is moving ahead very well,” he says, noting that despite a few rain days that have kept workers off the site, contractor Eagleson Construction has been progressing with the work at a steady pace.

The work officially got underway the week of April 3, followed by the closing of the road on April 10. The work will see the replacement of the watermain, sanitary sewer and storm sewer, as well as road reconstruction, concrete sidewalk and traffic signal improvements.

All in all, the project has an approximately $6.9 million price tag.

Notice signs and detours were posted in advance of the closure and access for residents, businesses and emergency vehicles has been maintained at all times.

Currently, regular traffic is detoured to Ritson Road and Durham Region Transit buses and GO buses detoured to Mary Street via Robert Street and Hillcroft Street.

Reid says that the nature of the construction work allows for the rainwater to wash away on the graded site instead of sitting stagnant and halting work.

“They’re installing all the underground infrastructure and behind that they’re building the road and grading it, so there’s positive drainage,” he says.

Initial estimates have the road reopening at the end of September or early October.

More information on the project and its progress can be found at http://www.durham.ca/cdeap/.