Construction to make way for the future Green Line LRT in the southeast community of Ogden is entering its next phase, as residents prepare for road closures and detours.
It’s all part of preliminary construction work in the area before tracks can be laid and a station is built for the future train line.
Project officials are extending 78 Avenue S.E. through an incoming tunnel under the CP Rail line as well as building a new road connection on the east side of the tracks.
It’s meant to replace the at-grade crossing at 69 Avenue S.E. once the LRT line is built.
“By getting this work done, we’re avoiding having that at grade crossing that’s really holding things up in there,” Green Line acting manager of community and business relations Adam Noble-Johnson told Global News.
The next phase of the project, which begins in two weeks, includes major roadwork to 78th Avenue between the CP Rail tracks and Ogden Road.
Jill Woronchak, who’s lived in the neighbourhood for eight years, said although she’s looking forward to the Green Line running through the community, she isn’t as excited about the upcoming road closures.
“Everybody needs to be able to get to where they need to go and have reliable transportation,” she told Global News. “I don’t have an issue with it, but I do have an issue with them ripping up my road.”
According to Green Line officials, 78th Avenue will be closed east of Ogden Road starting on April 22 for upgrades including a multi-use pathway, two-way vehicle traffic and a turning lane approaching Ogden Road.
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Project officials are also planning installing upgraded stormwater and utility infrastructure, with landscaping and sidewalk improvements.
Stakes in the ground along the street mark the new configuration of the road.
“People are going to lose so much of their lawns,” Woronchak noted.
Project officials note access to driveways and alleyways may be temporarily impacted during the roadwork, with traffic and pedestrian detours throughout the area.
Waste and recycling services are expected to continue as normal but collection for homes south of 78th Avenue will be from behind residences.
Russell Mercer, who lives nearby, said his only concern is parking outside his home.
“There’s a little bit of noise but they’ve been really good on how they’re doing it,” Mercer told Global News. “The big thing is the parking, and with having the community resource centre close by, there’s a lot of traffic, it’s not just residential traffic.”
Noble-Johnson said the project team is working to ensure there’s enough room for vehicles to turn around on the two streets that butt up against the soon-to-be-closed 78th Avenue.
“Over the course of the next few months while this construction rolls out, we’ll continue to keep an eye on that and make sure that it’s working right, make adjustments as we can, so that folks experience as little disruption as possible during this major construction,” he said.
Construction in the area started last summer, when crews built embankments to the west of the CP Rail tracks to temporarily move those lines so trains can keep moving while work begins on the tunnel at 78 Avenue, as well as a pedestrian tunnel on 72 Avenue S.E.
“This is critical work,” Noble-Johnson said. “The sooner we can get it out of the way, the sooner construction planning and all that staging and phasing that comes along with the main Green Line construction can really get underway.”
The upcoming phase of construction on 78 Avenue is expected to be complete in the fall.
Despite the incoming headaches, some residents are focused on what’s to come with a new LRT in the area.
“It’s going to be great if I have to downtown or whatever,” Mercer said. “The new station is not going to be that far.”
Once the tunnel is open, project officials said 78 Avenue S.E. will include a roundabout east of the CP Rail tracks and won’t be designated as a truck route.
