Underpass work set to resume next week

Reconstruction of the Portage Avenue underpass will resume next week, starting what will be the final portion of work on the project that first began in 2007.
Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown said late yesterday that JTJ Contracting Ltd. will start to set up temporary traffic control lights at the intersections of Third Street East and Portage Avenue and Fifth Street East and Portage Avenue on Monday.

As in 2007 and last year, only one lane will be used to move traffic through the underpass.
But there also will be some days when the underpass will be closed to all vehicles.
The town will notify the public in advance regarding any shutdowns.
The work left to be done includes cutting the footing on the east wall, building a new eastern abutment wall, building the walkway on the west side of the underpass, and then road construction.
However, pedestrian access will be ensured at all times.
Brown estimated the total work should be complete by mid-October.