CABANA ROAD: EXPECT DELAYS

First phase of improvement project

Get ready for a huge traffic mess starting later this week in one of South Windsor’s major traffic arteries that handles 15,000 vehicles per day.

Construction is poised to begin on the Cabana Road improvement project, with $5.8-million Phase 1 to occur between Provincial Road and Howard Avenue.

The improvement project will include widening the road to four lanes, curb installation, bike lanes, new sidewalks, water main replacement and storm sewer upgrades.

There will also be a new traffic light installed, including left turn lanes, at the intersection of Cabana Road and Holburn Street.

Once work kicks into gear it is anticipated the project will take at least the remainder of this year to complete — depending on weather, said Wes Hicks, deputy engineer for the city.

Final landscaping and finishing touches likely won’t occur until next year, he said.

Amico Infrastructure Inc. won the bid as contractor for the project and has agreed to maintain one lane of traffic in each direction during construction. But sometimes flagmen will be needed, causing traffic delays.

“If people can take alternative routes we would encourage that,” Hicks said. “Even with one lane in each direction, like with any construction area, traffic will move slower. The odd time a construction truck enters and leaves the site will also further slow traffic and create backups.”

The city will host an open house on Wednesday for residents who want to learn more about the Cabana Road improvement project and upcoming Phase 1 construction.

The public information session will run between 5 and 7 p.m. at Roseland Public School, 620 Cabana Rd. E., with a brief presentation at 5:30 p.m.

Among those attending the open house to answers questions or hear concerns will be staff from the city’s engineering department, Windsor Utilities Commission and Amico.

The project will proceed in three stages, with the first to focus on installation of water mains and connection of services into private homes on Cabana.

The second stage will be sewer upgrades and road construction between Howard and east of Karen Street, with the final stage being sewer and road construction from Karen and just west of Provincial.

Construction will be limited to daytime hours between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day, Hicks said.

JASON KRYK Traffic makes its way down Cabana Road between Provincial Road and Howard Avenue on Tuesday. Cabana will undergo major upgrades, which will include new sidewalks, storms sewers and water mains.