The majority of the work has now been completed on the Foothills Boulevard Water Main project that saw the installation of 3,500 metres of large diameter (500 mm) water main.
A typical household line is 19 mm.
The project is on time and within its budget of $6 million and should be completed, including returning Foothills to its original three traffic lanes during the week of Nov. 20.
Because of the cold weather, remarking the original lines to delineate lanes will be a challenge but will be done, and then made permanent in the spring, along with hydroseeding and cleanup.
During construction, the road has been expanded slightly so the original bike lanes that were 1.5 metres wide both up and downhill will be two metres wide uphill and 2.5 metres wide downhill. Foothills is still closed to cyclists so they are currently being offered free B.C. Transit to offset the inconvenience.
The other project that was done at the same time was to construct a new $3.5 million water pump station, just up from North Nechako Road. The new station and reservoir replace aging and deteriorating infrastructure and will be connected to the city system during the week of Nov. 20. The water will then be pumped up to Vellencher, which holds all the water for the Hart and will be distributed from there.
"It will cascade down through that system, down through all the neighbourhoods," Heather Robertson, engineering services supervisor, said.
The new water pump station sees completed underground service to Stauble and Vellencher, and BC Hydro underground service provided to Stauble Road. The project is currently on budget, Robertson said.
Scheduled to be completed in January 2018 is a concrete valve box, which will be located on the west side of the Highland Drive intersection.
For those who are curious, the construction staging site that's about halfway up Foothills between North Nechako and Highland Drive, on the left heading uphill, sees the new Fortis station located at the site, which was constructed before the water main construction project began, Robertson added.
"We'd like to thank the public for their cooperation during the projects," Robertson said. "I know it's probably been challenging for them so thank you for obeying all the traffic rules."
