The 500 block of Third Street downtown has become a local traffic zone as construction begins on a wide slate of pipe replacement work in the city's centre.--News Photo Collin Gallant
@MedicineHatNews
Intersections in the city centre are now closed to traffic as crews begin major underground utility line replacements in the core.
Third Street and Fifth Avenue, along with the 200 block of Sixth Avenue, were closed to traffic Wednesday, with parts of Third Street becoming local traffic-only zones.
City officials and Hamm Construction have said utility service and pedestrian access will be maintained to businesses on the two-block stretch during phased construction until late in the fall.
The extent of the work in 2024 will include Third Street from Fifth Avenue to S. Railway Street. The 300 block of Sixth Avenue will be done in 2025.
Repaving plans
On Wednesday the city’s municipal works department also outlined major resurfacing projects throughout the city.
Starting next week, milling will begin on Altawana Drive leading from Parkview Drive to the entrance of Crescent Heights.
Reworking of the road surface on the hill will move ahead in conjunction with underground utility work that crosses the route at the top of the hill.
North and southbound lanes of Dunmore Road between Southview Drive and Spencer Street will be taken up over three weeks starting May 13, with repaving set to start in mid-June. Work may proceed in overnight hours.
At the completion, crews will focus on a utility excavation and repaving on Spencer Street from Dunmore Road (becoming Kingsway Avenue) to Eighth Avenue in the South Flats.
Crews are also planning a major project on Stanfield Way from Strachan Road to Stratton Way in South Ridge. That infrastructure repair should begin in July, followed by milling and paving in late August.
