LAC LA BICHE - With various construction projects going on in the Lac La Biche area since spring, motorists have been trained to work with detours – but last week, the detours were affecting the trains too.
Over the Oct. 18 weekend, those travelling around the hamlet of Lac La Biche used alternate routes – on alternating days – as new tracks were being installed on the two main CN rail crossings in the community.
The rail crossing on Beaverhill Road was closed on Saturday, Oct. 19 while the crossing at 103 St. was blocked to traffic throughout the day on Sunday. The crossings are on the only two direct roads connecting the north and south sides of the community into the downtown area. Detour signage was set up over the two days showing motorists new routes to take as the construction work was happening.
Petr Richter, a track supervisor with CN Rail told Lakeland This Week that the ‘rehab’ work involved removing the old crossings and building new ones. He added that crews were putting in fresh panels and concrete pads that railway cars drive over prior to the installation of new tracks.
The tracks on the high-volume traffic crossings see a lot of railway traffic and vehicle traffic. Richter says the work is done as regular preventative maintenance.
“Usually on the high traffic areas, we do these every five years roughly,” Richter told Lakeland This Week.
