Construction crews working on a water main

City works hard to manage traffic impacts during 2020 water main work on Georgia St

December 19 2019 –

The City is asking commuters to plan ahead and to expect delays as it manages traffic impacts from water main and third-party construction work on West Georgia St early next year.

Starting on January 6, 2020 engineering crews will begin replacing a critical water main along West Georgia St between Thurlow and Howe streets. Lanes will be reduced along these blocks until the project is completed in April 2020 ahead of the annual Sun Run.

Installed almost 100 years ago, the current water main has reached the end of its service life and has a history of frequent breaks. Crews will be installing 375 meters of new water main in three phases from Howe to Thurlow streets. The new water main will last about 100 years and contribute to a more seismically resilient water network. 

Traffic impacts

  • A minimum of three traffic lanes will be maintained in areas where construction is occurring: two lanes westbound and one lane eastbound.  
  • During rush hours, two lanes in each direction will normally be maintained. 
  • Throughout construction, traffic lanes will be opened to the travelling public as soon as it’s feasible to do so.

Find more information

Cadillac Fairview road work

Beginning in February, Cadillac Fairview will start waterproofing membrane work along Howe Street between Dunsmuir and Georgia. In May, the work will move to Georgia between Granville and Howe streets and continue until November. This work is required in order to protect the structure that supports the roads in these locations. 

For the Howe Street work, two lanes southbound will need to be closed to facilitate the work. For the Georgia Street work, it will proceed in two phases (southern half and then northern half), with a minimum of one lane in each direction maintained throughout.

Background

  • The City has 1,489 km of water pipes valued at $2.4 billion. 
  • In 2019, the City replaced 9.6 km of water pipes.
  • In 2020, the City will replace 13.4 km of water main, including upgrades that support growth.