White Rock council has approved a $1-million project to replace poor-condition storm and sanitary sewers along four blocks of Marine Drive.
The work, awarded to Pedre Contractors Ltd. last month, was initially scheduled to get underway between Bishop and High streets this month, the city’s director of engineering and municipal operations told council.
Inclement weather, however, may delay the start until the new year, said Greg St. Louis.
According to a staff report, the project will be done in two phases, over the course of about 80 days.
If it gets underway this month, the first phase is expected to complete early next year, with road reconstruction to wrap up in the spring.
Regardless of the start, Marine Drive will have to be closed “from time to time” to complete the work, St. Louis said. While the roads will be open to local traffic, residents who park on the street in the affected area will have to move their vehicles.
“It may be a little congested at times,” St. Louis said.
Residents have been advised, he said, and a reminder will go out the week before the work gets underway.
The temporary inconvenience will be worth it, noted Mayor Wayne Baldwin.
“Unfortunately, you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs,” he said.
The city received 11 bids for the project. The highest came in at just over $1.9 million. Pedre Contractors Ltd. bid $1,027,937. The total tab will be about $1.3 million after tax, contingency and other costs.