Main Street Railway Crossing To Be Repaired - Road Closed For Ten Days
The Main Street N crossing of the CNR tracks has been politely described by more than a few as the “railway crossing from hell” but it looks like proper repairs are about to take place. Proper repairs which will hopefully see the crossing fixed for the long term and not a continual patch job.
There is only one catch and that is to do the job properly a portion of Main Street North will need to be closed for 10 days starting this coming Sunday.
The CNR crossing is on Main Street N just north of the Canadian Tire exit.
Speaking to Council director of public works and utilities Darrin Stephanson said although it seems like a lengthy road closure it is necessary to complete the work. Work which will ensure the crossing, which has been plagued with problems for years, is repaired properly for years to come and the City is not continually repairing the roadway.
Stephanson said the work planned is to rectify two main problems at and adjacent to the crossing.
The first is the actual crossing itself and the second are drainage issues which has led to multiple road failures - primarily on the northbound or east lane - and the resultant pothole patching.
Work to improve drainage in the area will consist of catch basin repairs, excavating and grading along with culvert cleanups. The work should allow storm water and runoff to escape quicker to the nearby Spring Creek.
To facilitate the work both the north and south bound lanes of Main Street N will be closed this Sunday for up to 10 days from Thatcher Drive to the intersection of Town and Country Drive and Main Street.
The intersection of Town and Country Drive and Main Street N is the traffic light controlled intersection which exits Canadian Tire onto Main Street.
The total cost for the work for the City is $120,000 with funds coming from Capital - pavement $50,000 and $70,000 from Operating funds. CN will pay a portion, 28 percent portion of the repairs directly adjacent the crossing, as well as the new cement crossing blocks as well as work. The total cost to CN to fix the crossing is $60,000.
Although initially planned for September the City was able to have CN advance their construction schedule to complete the work in July.
Because the work entails digging out the roadway adjacent the full length of the crossing to allow CN to install concrete crossing blocks there will be a major closure of Main Street N.
“Unfortunately there are no great detours which can be done for this roadway. CN needs the full closure to do these concrete blocks installs across those tracks so all four or five lanes will need to be closed.”
Traffic will be detoured down either 9th Avenue NW or 9th Avenue NE. Although 4th Avenue NW does provide access the nature of the roadway and narrowness under a CN trestle means the City will not be highlighting the road as a detour.
Over the years the low height of the trestle on 4th Ave NW has seen numerous semi-trailers become stuck underneath causing the roadway to be closed while the truck is removed and the trestle inspected for structural integrity.
Asked by Councillor Brian Swanson what projects will be pushed back to allow the work to happen Stephanson said it will be lower priority and non-critical repairs.
Mayor Fraser Tolmie said there was a need to do the job right instead of the present patchwork approach given the poor shape and importance of the roadway.
“When I think of this area I think of myself driving through that area it is so deep you don’t know what is underneath it and just the question am I going to make it through with my car. Am I going to make it through without damage,” Mayor Tolmie said. “This area has been a problem area in the community for the longest time and aid solutions have not fixed this…I don’t know how many times I have seen hub caps around that area.”
Councillor Chris Warren asked if there was any way to have two way traffic on one side of the roadway.
Stephanson said it was impossible because once the City removed the asphalt adjacent the tracks it became undrivable.
“There is no way we can do it half and half.”
Councillor Heather Eby said she had no concerns with the road closure because the needed repairs were being done.
“It is going to be inconvenient but it is really inconvenient driving over those railway tracks right now,” Councillor Eby said. “It does not upset me it is going to be inconvenient for 10 days but it is going to be done really well.”
“I’m not going to be apologizing for detours when there is work being done as long as there is work being done,” she said.
Under questioning from Councillor Dawn Luhning about the potential of doing the work 24/7 to get it done sooner Stephanson said the project would cost more.
“Certainly we can increase costs if we want to extend hours,” he said.
Councillor Brian Swanson asked if Canadian Tire had been approached about the possibility of putting up signage and lane markers for anticipated traffic driving through their lot and then exiting down Laurier Street.
Stephanson said Administration had not but they would be doing so.
Councillor Luhning said there needed to be a very detailed and stringent communications plan because “everyone in the city uses that roadway at least once a day.”
“We have got to make sure we get this out yesterday communications wise.”
She asked that Administration boost the post on social media to ensure more people would receive the information.
Boosting is the process of paying for an advertisement on social media programs like Facebook where you can target users instead of relying on an algorithm which may not place your content in front of your target audience.
In a unanimous vote Council approved the repair work to proceed.
The CN crossing on Main St N has been a major problem for years. In early February 2019 a barricade was erected blocking the inside lane for southbound traffic across the CN rail crossing.
When speaking to MJ Independent CN said in a statement the project was suppose to be completed by the end of September but Stephanson was credited by Administration in being able to get CN to raise the priority of the crossing and do the work in July.
SEE RELATED - CN Gives Update On Repair