Second Avenue paving job to be torn up to address leaking water pipe

City of Prince Rupert crews were busy early in the day Thursday,
attending to a pipe leak in front of the DFO building on Second Avenue West

It's a given that for every sharp looking stretch of pavement that is rolled out, eventually the day will come when it all must be torn up ...

However, one imagines that the City of Prince Rupert was hoping for more than a two week window on the new paving job along Second Avenue West before the jack hammers had to be called into action.

Yesterday, the City posted a Notice to its website calling attention to some work required by the Public Works Department starting on Thursday morning.

Citing Murphy's Law, the City notes that an aged service connection in the 400 block of Second Avenue West has failed, resulting in a minor leak beneath the new stretch of asphalt along the city's busiest corridor.

Work crews were to be on the job by 5 AM earlier today to being the work on repairing the connection with a goal to complete the work as soon as possible, with an eye on the Seafest celebrations coming up next week.

The city also notes that with the paving crews thankfully still in town the new pavement can be put down once again following the repairs, dependent on weather conditions.

While the repairs are under way, traffic will be re-directed while construction takes place, motorists and pedestrians are asked to observe the posted traffic signs and follow the lead of those controlling traffic around the work site.

You can review the full announcement from the City here.

It's not clear how Mr. Murphy may feel about having his law cited when it comes to having to dig up brand new pavement atop what has been the much discussed state of the city's water infrastructure issues.

Though perhaps Murphy may want to get use to hearing his name used by city officials.  Particularly when one considers the age of the city's waterline network through the downtown core, and the volume of heavy traffic that continues to rumble through the city centre on a daily basis.

It was only a few weeks ago that Councillor Barry Cunningham raised the topic of the new pavement project currently underway, as he inquired as to the status of the long desired container truck bypass road around the city.

At  the time Mr. Cunningham had noted that he had concerns that the volume of traffic may make quick work of the smooth ride recently laid down along Second Ave. West.

That potential bypass option that was proposed for Wantage Road, is apparently now part of a larger transportation plan that the City has known as the Prince Rupert Access Corridor Project.

A concept that the city has taken to the province that would see, the airport, Lax Kw'alaams and Metkatla linked together with a road link. From that a relocated airport ferry would apparently then link up with the new road somewhere across the harbour from the east side of the city.

There has also been some talk at the Port of Prince Rupert of incorporating a container truck route along the waterfront, running from the existing container terminal to link up with the Ridley Island access road. Though to this point, that project appears to be tied into any potential large scale expansion of the container port to the south.

You can review some more notes related to the city's infrastructure issues here.

While more items of interest from City Council can be examined from our Council Discussion page.