Those needing to pass through the intersection of Queensway Street and Patricia Boulevard will have to plan another route, as the intersection will be closed for several weeks.
The city is upgrading the existing sanitary sewer system, as the current system serving the downtown and the industrial area to the east of Queensway is at capacity. The sewer upgrade is part of a larger project to upgrade aging infrastructure in the vicinity of City Hall that is at capacity, in poor condition or a high risk of failure, according to the city.
The new sanitary sewer is about 1 km long and extends from the intersection at 7th Avenue and Dominion Street, past City Hall, to Patricia Boulevard, across Queensway Street, and along the base of the Patricia Boulevard escarpment to a lift station at 4th Avenue and London Street. From there, the new sewer line will join the existing City sanitary sewer system that connects to the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Lansdowne Road more than 5 km away.
“While this work to upgrade our sewer system is critical, we recognize that closing Queensway will pose a major inconvenience and we are doing everything we can to make sure the closure is as short as possible,” says Adam Homes, Director of Engineering, in a City of Prince George press release. “For example, doing this work now, when the groundwater levels are lowest, will minimize delays that can be caused by high groundwater. We are also committed to accommodating pedestrians for the duration of the project.”
The city began implementing traffic control on Queensway for minor traffic interruptions and delays on Nov. 3 and full closure of Queensway and Patricia will go into effect on Nov. 7.
The city says it is currently expected that Queensway will re-open next month with a paved surface. Alternative routes to the downtown from the south are available along Victoria and Winnipeg Streets.
“We’re extremely grateful for residents’ understanding during this project and we would also like to remind motorists to follow traffic signs and to drive cautiously in the area of road closures and detours,” adds Homes in the release.
