Drainage project hits ‘tougher clay,’ disruptions expected on 105 Street

A downtown drainage project on 105 Street expected to be completed by May could finish as much as seven months behind schedule after the borer struck “tougher clay” than anticipated, Epcor said Tuesday.

Problems surfaced at the construction site several weeks ago when ground conditions changed to ones the borer was not equipped to deal with, Epcor spokesman Tim LeRiche said.

The borer is currently located underneath 105 Street about 40 metres south of Jasper Avenue as part of the Downtown Intensification Storm Tunnel project.

Starting Wednesday, an access shaft will be drilled 24 metres below ground to reach the trapped borer. That shaft may not be completed until June 25.

The borer will be serviced and its hydraulics upgraded to enable it to bore through the tough clay.

“When you do these types of projects, you use the available information and testing that you have,” LeRiche said.

“We expected there would be soft clay, sand and perhaps some water. But you never really know when you are talking about underground.”

Between June and July, crews will resume tunnelling 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Between August and December, the finishing touches will be put on the tunnel.

“We realize that this is a disruption to the business community in the area,” he said.

“We are doing everything possible to get the project done as soon as possible and done right.”

How much the delay will cost Epcor is still to be determined, LeRiche said.

Because of the tunnel work, motorists can expect significant traffic disruptions on 105 Street south of Jasper Avenue.