SECOND STREET
Stakeholders getting frustrated with construction
About a half-dozen downtown stakeholders were expressing displeasure at what they see as the glacial pace of construction along the 500 Block of Second Street and its impact to businesses Tuesday.
“It’s a killer,” said Hal Benson, owner of Players Bench, at a public consultation meeting at the Esplanade.
Benson warned the impact of missing completion deadlines for underground utility and streetscape improvements along Second Street may be bad now but exponentially worse if repeated for similar future work along Third Street downtown, due to the number of businesses.
The upgraded infrastructure and street improvements began on May 20 along the 500 Block. The project also includes utility and street upgrades along the 400 Block as well as the Second Street and Sixth, Fifth and Fourth Avenue intersections.
The entire project is contractually scheduled to be completed on Oct. 15.
During a media technical briefing on the issue held with Medicine Hat and Associated Engineering officials Tuesday morning, neither the city or AE could specify how much or if contract penalties would be imposed if work was not completed by Oct. 15.
“That hard date doesn’t take into consideration contingencies for weather and things like that,” said Greg Kaupp, AE area manager.
Kaupp and city officials also stated they are working with contractor Innovative Civil Constructors Inc. to complete the project by the end of this construction season this fall.
Currently, the project is “a couple of weeks” behind schedule.
Grayson Mauch, city general manager of environmental utilities, said Tuesday’s meeting with downtown stakeholders is part of the consultation process on the project.
“It’s an opportunity to engage them and to discuss what is happening so far,” he said.
He added there are similar challenges in the current project to work done on the 600 Block in 2013 but added, “every block is unique.”
The intersection of Second Street and Fifth Avenue is expected to open in the coming days with underground utility work along the 500 Block currently expected to be completed by the end of this month.
Work on the Sixth Avenue and Second Street intersection is scheduled to begin soon and completed by Sept. 25.
Construction along the 400 Block of Second Street and the Fourth Avenue intersection is set to begin at the end of August with completion at the end of October.