23 Oct Prince of Wales Drive Culvert Renewal – Update October 23, 2015
It’s been a few weeks since the last project status update, and the city has made some significant progress during that time. The following is a new update provided by city officials for the Prince of Wales culvert project.
Tunneling started on October 13 but had to stop again on October 15 because of a risk that was identified in the stability of the backstop (the deep piled structure that provides the resistance to the horizontal pipe jacking forces). Additional restraint in the form of ground anchors were installed to ensure that the backstop remained solid and this remedial work was finished on October 20. Tunneling resumed on October 20 and has been proceeding surely but steadily since then. The head of the tunnel machine has now traveled across the full width of Prince of Wales Drive and is now entering the embankment on the east side of POW Drive. In other words, the tunnel is about 2/3 complete and the city is hoping that the tunnel machine will “daylight” on the other side of the embankment early next week. Here are a few recent pictures that show the tunneling operation:
As stated previously, this project is behind schedule, predominantly as a result of the extended timelines taken by the Contractor to submit acceptable work procedures. However, the city reports that we are making good progress with the tunnel, which is a major item in the contract. Once the tunnel is completed, the focus will be on lining the existing culvert with a new pipe (to create a twin-pipe configuration) and building the concrete headwalls. The aim is to complete these major components before the end of the year so that full hydraulic capacity in the creek is restored, and then to complete the surface restoration and landscaping in the spring.
Field observations during the night shift have shown that the noise levels at the nearby homes is not disruptive and in fact no louder than the traffic that travels along POW Drive.
Should you have any questions regarding this project, please do not hesitate to call my office at 613-580-2486.