LAC LA BICHE - In preparation for next year's continuation of the three-year Main Street revitalization project, Lac La Biche County officials have added a new road to the plan.
It's an important addition, Lac La Biche County councillors admitted as they discussed the issue recently– since without it, there would be no vehicle access to the downtown core from one side of the community during the third phase of the $32.5 million construction project.
During the third phase, a portion of the main downtown roadway will be blocked to traffic from 101 Street at the Alberta Treasury Branch to 100 Street at Lac La Biche Sporting Goods. With the 100 Street intersection blocked – and with the removal of a public road through the former Lac La Biche recreation grounds as part of the new McArthur Park upgrades, there would be no way to access the downtown from the east at any point on the north side of the community.
"Next year we have an intersection that is going to be a complicated one," said Lac La Biche County councillor Jason Stedman, drawing attention to the need to put a solution in place. "I know we have been batting around a few ideas to get around that one."
The remedy, says the municipality's public works boss, has been to make a short, diagonal cut-across from Main Street onto 100 Street, cutting through a portion of the new McArthur Park development.
The roadway, says Ali Memon, has recently been built and will be a short-term solution when the next section of the Main Street project is being done. He said the cut-across was constructed this year, in advance of next year's final phase of the downtown Main Street project that will see aging underground infrastructure replaced, and several new surface features added, including new sidewalks, light posts and other design features.
"There will be an acces from McArthur Park," said Memon, explaining that the temporary roadway was built and paved in the last week of September while crews were putting the first lift of new asphalt to complete the second phase of the downtown project.
The short detour is about 60 feet in length and was built to accommodate two-way traffic. In order to construct the detour, some of the recently placed sod that is part of the McArthur Place upgrades had to be removed and relocated within the 120,000 square feet of new grass being put into the new park plan.
Memon said municipal officials worked with the Main Street project engineers and design consultants to find an answer. He said the McArthur Park cut-across was the only answer that worked.
"We did try to review other options as well... and we eventually found out that's the only right option that we can accommodate our people," said Memon, adding that having the cut-across ready this year saves time for next year's construction season.
Municipal officials have not said when the cut-across will be opened. Shortly after the roadway was paved, large pylons were placed on both entrances to the road.
