Portland work extended ‘at least’ two more weeks
Work on Portland Blvd between Lionel-groulx and Jacquescartier North will last at least the next two weeks.
Motorists are invited to use Galt West, King West and the highway network to bypass the area of work but local traffic on Portland is permitted and businesses are accessible at all times.
Reconstruction of the underground infrastructure and pavement on Portland, between Jacques-cartier and Lionel-groulx boulevards, was announced Oct. 8 and was to last three weeks and should have been finished at the end of last week.
On Oct. 15, however, the City announced that it may take more than two weeks to complete the work, which was confirmed in a press briefing on Oct. 22 that it would take at least two more weeks to end on Nov.2.
However, on Monday morning, the City indicated that the work will not be completed in the next few days as planned with a very rainy week announced that will make surface paving more difficult. With the weather looking better next week, the City hopes to advance the paving. The temperature has to be over 5 C without rain, said the Sherbrooke urban infrastructure directorate.
The discovery of rock, the use of unplanned blasting, and especially the weather have slowed the work.
It remains possible that the work will not completely completed before the arrival of winter. If this is the case, it will be necessary to put an attenuator at the level of Lionel-groulx Blvd, where there is a notch in the pavement.
Since Oct. 22, the intersection of Jacques-cartier and Portland has been completely closed to traffic. This decision was made following an accident where a traffic signaler was slightly injured by a passing car. Since then, there have been no other incidents. Police presence has increased on Portland and Beckett.
The City of Sherbrooke is asking motorists to respect the work of signalers, who work on its road projects and to be civil with them.
Major work scheduled and underway this year can be viewed on the interactive map available at sherbrooke.ca/travaux.