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Star Automotive Recyclers owner Mark Ouellett stands on Cessna Road. Work on Boeing Road has affected his business.
on ice
SPORTS 9
• • • criticism
Boeing Road area businesses, residents face ongoing frustration over roadwork
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DYER 6
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B.C. 7
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CANADA 14
LOOKING
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MONEY 25
Charelle EVELYN Citizen staff cevelyn@pgcitizen.ca
The city is asking for a little more patience from the businesses and residents affected by the construction of the Boundary Road connector.
Since last May, Boeing Road and its surrounding plane-named streets have been a construction zone as the 6.8-kilometre two-lane link between Highways 97 and 16 is completed.
Disruptions are going to continue until the end of the construction season in October and the city's project manager is asking them to see the long-term goal while a roundabout at the intersection of Boeing and Gunn Roads and the installation of storm, sanitary and water lines is wrapped
up.
Once complete, the connector will be a link for the logistics park east of the airport.
“I know it’s tough to look at the long-range picture when construction outside your door has been taking place for a while,” Jim Litzen said.
But that’s a difficult pill to swallow for Lisa Ouellet of A-Star Automotive Recyclers, who can’t always make it to her Cessna Road business for fear of serious damage to her car.
m
I know it's tough to look at the long-range picture when construction outside your door has been taking place for a while.
— Jim Litzen, project manager, City of Prince George
“Where they ripped up the pavement to where they didn’t, the drop was so low,” Ouellet said. “It would have bottomed out my car because they had dug down deep.” The construction not only prevented herself and employees from getting to work, but it also kept customers away at times, she said.
“This last Friday, they stopped our business completely - wouldn’t allow customers in and my employees got stuck at work until eight o’clock because they wouldn’t let them out,” Ouellet said.
But Western Industrial Contractors vicepresident and chief operating officer Brian Savage said that was not accurate.
“All we’re doing is paving the Boeing and Cessna Road, so the only time they may not have been able to drive up Cessna is when the paving machine actually went by the driveway, which would be minutes,” Savage explained. “We have all of our people there, we have flag people there. So if someone needs to get in and out, they get in and out.” Ouellet said other businesses, such as
PATCHWORK
Road rehab wrapping up
Charelle EVELYN Citizen staff cevelyn@pgcitizen.ca
Work kicked off Tuesday on the last three projects of the city’s paving season.
For the next two weeks, crews will focus on Ospika Boulevard between Range Road and Tyner Boulevard; Tabor Boulevard between First and Fifth Avenues; and Foothills Boulevard between North Nechako Road and the Foothills Bridge.
The nearly $1.9 million worth of work is possible due to the enhancement of the $3.5 million road rehabilitation budget city council approved in June. The money was transferred from a reserve fund in order to get more projects finished this season.
This week also saw other sections of the city getting a facelift as paving contractor Columbia Bitulithic repaired parcels of work done in previous years.
On Monday, a section of Cranbrook Hil
There was some
debate and discussion, but in the end they agreed it was still premature, so they're doing the warranty work.
— Mick Jones, streets operations supervisor, City of Prince George
showing signs of premature deterioration was patched up. The work is at no cost to the city, as it falls under the one-year warranty paving projects are covered by.
But streets operations supervisor Mick Jones said there was some disagreement with the contractor before they agreed to the work.
— see WE’RE, page 3
Your Way Autobody and the Eastway Esso gas station were some of the hardest hit.
Pinedale Auto Wreckers employee Aaron DuBois said business has slowed during construction, but that there’s nothing to be done about it.
“This road was probably in just as good a shape as other roads in the city,” DuBois joked. “Since it’s gravel, it might have been one of the best roads in town.”
Wet weather has set back the construction schedule. While originally slated to be all wrapped up by the end of October, there will still be work that needs to be done next season.
Wet conditions caused the loss of 44 construction days in 2011 which will be carried over into 2013, Litzen said. While no finalized date is set, it’s possible the work won’t be complete until next July.
That work is south of the Gunn Road intersection and Litzen said that shouldn’t cause anyone any disruptions. “[The sections on Boeing and Gunn Roads] will be completed and finished in the next month or two.”
FORESTRY
Key timber report set for release
Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles @pgcitizen. ca
Lumber companies await a report due today that could affect the provincial forest industry for years to come.
The Special Committee on Timber Supply, an all-parties legislative committee struck to study the spinoff effects of the pine beetle epidemic, will release its report at 10 a.m. today.
Chaired by Nechako-Lakes MLA John Rus-tad, the committee of seven has been touring the province since June gathering public input and expert opinions.
The forestry stakeholders with the most on the line are Hampton Affiliates - owners of Babine Forest Products - and the Sin-clar Group of forest companies - owners of Lakeland Mills.
— see REPORT, page 3
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