Boeing Road area businesses and residents are upset about the construction of Boundary Road turning their only access into a muddy mess.
Construction of the 6.8 kilometre road connecting Boeing Road and Gunn Road to Highway 97 South
began in June and is slated to be
complete by November.
Eastway Esso service station manager Sharon Annis said the project has turned the length of Boeing Road into a muddy mess which is driving
customers away.
"It's a mud pit. On the weekend, people were sinking up to their axles," Annis said. "Our business has been less than half [than previous years], and it's pretty tough to survive. Even my employees, we've had to cut their hours because we can't afford the staff."
Annis said she understood the road wasn't supposed to be left unpaved for almost a year. Annis said Eastway Esso's owners have spoken with city staff requesting the contractor, Western
Industrial Contractors (WIC), to put additional gravel on the road to reduce the mud.
"Our business depends on people getting in our driveway. Somebody has to step up to the plate and say they'll do something," she said. "It's the nature of construction. But the nature of construction wasn't supposed to affect us for a year."
Your Way Autobody shop manager Kris Carr said the condition of the road is keeping customers away.
"Customers are always complaining they get your car painted here, and by the time they get down the road it's dinged and splattered by the road," Carr said. "People are very reluctant to come here. We've had a couple people get stuck, because it's so soupy out there."
Driving to work through the mud and ruts every day has been tough on the staff's vehicles as well, he said.
"I'm a little P.O.'d about it," Carr said. "Every time you talk to somebody about it... you get a run around."
Gunn Road resident John MacRobbie said he's sick of the mud and mess.
"It tracks in our houses," he said. "They put that cheap gravel on there... that just makes more mud. It's
absolutely pathetic. It just shows a total
disregard for the residents."
Dr. Christine Murdoch, owner of Murdoch Veterinarian Clinic on Gunn Road, said she's optimistic the short-term impact will be worth it in the long run.
"Right now we're just battling the mud and wet from the thaw," Murdoch said. "From a business perspective right now it's terrible. I'm hoping the long-term benefits are worth what we're going through. [But] it has taken a long time."
Murdoch said the muck has less of an impact on her business, which has a regular client base.
However, not all area businesses were upset with the handling of the project.
Pinedale Auto Wreckers owner James Ploeger said the city and contractors have been battling muddy clay soils and terrible weather since last year.
"I can't fault these guys. They had a terrible summer. They're doing what they can," Ploeger said. "The only thing that could be done better is using better gravel. [But] that would have cost WIC thousands more dollars to put something down."
The $28 million construction project includes a two-lane road, bicycle lane, street lights and utility services for the proposed airport logistics park planned in the area.
City response
City project manager Jim Litzen said Western Industrial Contractors has had graders and equipment doing daily maintenance on the road since March 16. The contractor has been grading out the ruts and keeping the ditches clear to allow drainage, he said.
The gravel used on the road does meet the standards for a road base, Litzen added.
"This time of year is challenging for roads, regardless of whether they are paved or gravel," Litzen said. "[But] you get a bit of rainfall on that clay, and it gets really slick. It does pose a bit of a challenge."
Boeing and Gunn roads were scheduled to be paved last year
before winter, Litzen said. However poor weather last year meant the paving will not likely be completed until June or July of this year, he said.
"Obviously we were hoping to have that completed last year," Litzen said. "This year the focus is going to be... to be completed as soon as possible. What we were doing was to allow two-way traffic on that road during the winter."
If residents or business owners from the area have concerns, they can contact him about them, Litzen said. "The contractor has full intent of completing the project on time," he added.
