High Street West To Receive Some Roadway Smoothing

IT’S A SAGA THAT HAS GONE ON FOR FIVE YEARS AS THE CITY IS SET TO SMOOTH OUT THE FINAL BUMPS IN THE ROAD

By Robert Thomas

For the past few years a large section of High Street West has been a bumpy road.

The depressions in the pavement appearing as a seeming reminder not only where property sewer and water services were replaced as part of the cast iron water mains replacement program in 2018 but also the entire saga.

A program that for many High Street West businesses went a little more than awry. So bad that an online contest crowned the street the worst road in 2018 in Saskatchewan.

PAVEMENT ON HIGH STREET WEST WAS SETTLING IN EARLY 2018 WHERE WATER AND SEWER SERVICE LINES WERE REPLACED - MJ INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO

In a news release on Wednesday the City of Moose Jaw has announced upcoming repairs to the pavement repairs on High Street West between 2nd Avenue NW and 8th Avenue NW beginning the week of July 24th - weather permitting.

The repairs will consist of the contractor, Cypress Paving, milling and paving the areas where the pavement has settled.

The settled portions of pavement - most where water and sewer service lines were replaced - have for years given the roadway a choppy feeling.

“Crews will mobilize first on the 800 block of High Street and move east as they progress. Each individual block of High Street will be closed to vehicular traffic during pavement operations, starting with the 800 block. All work will be completed within the closed block section prior to moving to the next block. Traffic will be detoured to Fairford Street during this process,” the release stated.

The entire project is anticipated to be completed in two weeks, weather permitting.

Businesses will remain open during the construction process and access along the sidewalks will be available.

Drivers are asked to follow all detours and to proceed with caution.

The High Street West repair work is one of 48 capital projects approved in the 2023 Budget.

It is unknown if the City has informed all affected High Street West businesses about the repairs as promised in 2018 after admitting there had been oversights.