The City of Nelson in conjunction with Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTi) has an ambitious program of works scheduled for the Highway arterial through the City this construction season, culminating with a re-pave of the entire portion of the Highway within the City. The next several months will be a busy time along the highway as the City is taking this opportunity to open-cut the highway to accomplish a number of infrastructure improvements.

Over the past couple of weeks, both City of Nelson crews and contract crews have been busy near the intersection of Anderson Street and Nelson Avenue extending a new water main across the highway, conducting locates, and making preparation for larger scale water works projects along Anderson Street. General Assembly Excavating Ltd., the prime contractor for waterworks along Anderson Street, intends to start excavation for installation of new water main, extending for 3 blocks, from the 7-11 property to the Shell Station, on Tuesday, April 14.

The primary objective of the works along the arterial prior to paving is to install new water main along the arterial in order to loop, or tie together existing dead-end lines. The looping of dead-end waterlines is a guideline for construction of waterworks from Interior Health Authority, where water mains should be looped wherever feasible to minimize contamination risks and service disruption during maintenance, repair, breaks, future water work, or annual flushing works. In addition, these looping works provide additional fire flow capacity, redundancy, and reliability.

Last Thursday afternoon, Selkirk Paving Ltd. completed asphalt patches over newly laid water line along Nelson Avenue by Hume School. This patching work enabled the traffic control works to be taken down and the highway opened at this point to regular two way traffic. The City Utility crews have future works to complete at this location along Behnsen Street, but in the meantime, the works under the highway is complete and ready for the MOTI comprehensive paving works.

This upcoming week will see the City crew leapfrog down the highway to the intersection of Cedar and Front Street, while the General Assembly contract crew begins excavation along Anderson Street. Traffic control will be set up at both locations, to allow for two way traffic. Traffic will be slowed through the construction zone, but detours or closures are not anticipated. Pedestrian, cycling, and vehicular traffic should pay attention to all signage, traffic control devices and personnel.