Contractor removes icy buildup in Thorold tunnel
No, work hasn’t begun again on the Thorold tunnel.
The lanes have been restricted this week for de-icing procedures — and then immediately reopened.
“It has been a few years since we’ve seen temperatures this low, which may account for a perception that there is an unusually high amount of work happening,” said Lee Alderson, a senior issues adviser at the Ministry of Transportation.
In November, the Ministry announced that the Thorold tunnel would be fully open for winter travel after repairs restricted the roadway’s use for over six months.
The winter reopening allows both sides of the tunnel to handle traffic, with two lanes going southbound and northbound.
In recent days, the lanes have been periodically closed because of frigid temperatures, often well below zero, accompanied by snow.
On Monday in Thorold, the low, without wind chill, was -10 C. Tuesday was -7 C while Wednesday was -9 C and Thursday -8 C.
“The tunnel is not a completely sealed space, and some canal water leaks through,” Alderson said. “Every winter, ice builds up in the tunnel when temperatures reach -5 C or lower. The ice that forms on the ceilings and walls is removed by our contractor and requires a short closure to create a safe zone for workers.”
The contractor, Aecon Construction Materials Limited, is expected to return in the spring to finish paving the highway, among other works.
The renovations of the tunnel are scheduled for completion by summer 2021.
An $18-million project to rehabilitate the tunnel has been ongoing since 2018, at various times forcing one tunnel tube to be converted for two-way traffic while the other tube was closed for repair.
The tunnel is a major artery for northand southbound traffic used by an estimated 24,300 vehicles on a typical day.