With all the construction happening along Highway 1 and Lougheed Highway in Coquitlam, it's not easy for drivers to get to - or through - Exit 44 these days.
The turn-off to the Tri-Cities is like an obstacle course, with commuters forced to navigate around unfinished overpasses and roadwork being done as part of the provincial government's $3-billion Gateway Program, which includes the twinning of the Port Mann Bridge and the reconfiguration of the Cape Horn interchange.
Next week, another hurdle will be added to the traffic chaos when the city and Kiewit/Flatiron, the contractor, close the south end of King Edward Street for 12 weeks to finish an overpass that's long overdue.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Starting Saturday, Aug. 6, the clock starts ticking for Kiewit crews to complete the King Edward Street overpass - a four-lane viaduct that, when finished in November, will link Lougheed Highway to United Boulevard over the CP Rail lines, a major safety issue.
At the same time, crews will level the bump on Highway 1 near Ikea in order to accommodate the overpass, meaning east- and westbound traffic will be diverted slightly to new, adjacent roads to the north and south.
In addition, crews will be raising the south end of United Boulevard (close to the old Fraser Mills site) to accommodate the overpass slope.
As a result, Woolridge Street will be closed to United.
Maurice Gravelle, the general manager of strategic initiatives for Coquitlam, which is in charge of communications for the provincial project and is contributing $7.7 million, said the work was supposed to have started this spring but was delayed due to poor soil conditions and scheduling setbacks.
The area "is very difficult because of the key interchanges being built now [for Gateway] and having to still keep traffic moving," said Gravelle, who has been meeting with Kiewit and the Transportation Investment Corp., the provincial body set up to implement the Port Mann-Highway 1 program, every other week to make sure everything runs smoothly after Aug. 6.
BUSINESS IMPACT
Over the past two years, owners and operators of some 550 businesses and warehouses in the Pacific Reach business park have met with city officials five times to get ready for the three-month closure, Gravelle said.
And this week, they got their final notification in the mail from the city, a newsletter reminding them of the road closures as well as the bus route changes, emergency access, hotline numbers and email contacts, and a map showing detours for their customers.
As well, they've had regular electronic updates sent from the city about what to expect and signs have been posted along Lougheed, showing commuters it's "business as usual" on United.
During the construction, United will have only two major access points: at the west (bailey bridge from New Westminster) and east (Mary Hill bypass). But there will also be two ramps from Highway 1: for eastbound traffic, there's a new exit ramp by the Boulevard Casino; for drivers heading west, there's the new Taft detour, which will be open from 2 to 8 p.m.
At last month's engineering committee meeting, Martin Wyant, chief executive officer of Share, which has offices at 25 King Edward St., said its business will likely be affected by the heavy construction, especially for clients without a car.
Committee chair Coun. Brent Asmundson said city hall isn't totally sure of how the 12-week closure will play out but noted, "We are dealing with a project that's not our project."
ON BUS, FOOT, BIKE
The overpass construction has prompted TransLink to temporarily detour bus routes 159, 177 and 791, and create a new 197 shuttle bus service from Planet Ice.
But that shuttle will only go as far as Brigantine/United, much to the chagrin of Coquitlam city council, which this month sent a letter to the regional transportation authority asking for more frequency, not less, during the disruption to the business park.
Mayor Richard Stewart wrote in the letter July 7: "There are many businesses on United Boulevard, west of Brigantine, and customers and employees of these businesses rely on bus service."
Yesterday, Drew Snider, Coast Mountain Bus Co. spokesperson, said the route will stop at Brigantine for safety reasons and the 197 shuttle will remain after construction is complete.
As for pedestrians and cyclists, there will be no access around the overpass zone but routes will be open along United, Gravelle said.
The city is also promoting ride-sharing (www.ride-share.com) to lessen traffic gridlock.
FIRE, POLICE, AMBULANCE
Coquitlam Fire and Rescue will have a temporary fire hall on a provincially owned parking lot at Fawcett Road, near the Boulevard Casino.
Fire Chief Tony Delmonico said the four-person company will be staffed with firefighters on overtime.
"There's no getting around it," he said, adding that having a 60-foot trailer and fire engine near the overpass site "has meant quite a bit of logistical work to get it operational."
As for policing, Coquitlam RCMP told the city's engineering committee its detachment operations won't change as Mounties "are on the road 24/7."
As well, BC Ambulance will have paramedics on stand-by from its regular station at Riverview hospital.
THE END
Once the overpass is completed in November, two lanes - one northbound, one southbound - will be open while crews do the finishing touches such as decorative street lighting and railings, surface treatments, landscaping, a multi-use pathway and a look-out point for pedestrians and cyclists.
The $700,000 fit-and-finish work, of which the Beedie Group is paying $500,000 to support its future Fraser Mills Waterfront Village at the former Fraser Mills sawmill site, will likely last until next spring, when an official ribbon cutting will be held and all four lanes will be open to traffic.
For more information on the King Edward Street overpass project, call 604-927-3500 or email [email protected].
