HIGHWAY 8 BRIDGE, ROAD WORK ON SCHEDULE

Nine months into the project replacing the King Street West-Highway 8 bridge over Spencer Creek, implementing new storm sewers, water mains, retaining walls and rebuilding the road between Bond Street and Woodleys Lane, city staff say work is on target for completion by December 2022.

The extensive construction project, aiming to improve drainage along the escarpment road and stabilize the slope, while replacing the 91-year-old bridge, began in mid-April 2021 approximately 100 metres west of Woodleys Lane.

Work began on bridge removal in July 2021. Any in-creek work is limited to a window of mid-July to the end of August each year, part of the reason why two full construction seasons and approximately 20 months are scheduled for the project.

City of Hamilton spokesperson Emily Trotta said work completed in 2021 includes "substructural and retaining wall work related to the bridge after installing environmental protection ... and completing bridge removal."

She said removal of 143 trees was also completed. City staff said at least 140 new trees will be planted to replace those removed for construction.

Trotta said the contractor "made progress" on installation of new storm sewers and water mains in the past nine months.

"Majority of construction work will resume in the spring, but over the winter months the contractor will be on site completing some structural work," Trotta said.

She said work still to be completed includes: bridge construction, retaining walls, completion of storm sewer and water main installation and reconstruction of 5,515 square metres of road.

The city expects the project to be completed, and the road reopened to traffic, as scheduled in December 2022. Hazel Rodrigues, a City of Hamilton construction technician, suggested substantial completion of most work could come by the end of November.

Mid-February will mark the estimated halfway point of the project and road closure of the escarpment access between Dundas and Greensville. Mid-April will mark one full year since work began.