The last of the major works on Salt Spring’s Fulford-Ganges Road are complete, according to the contractor, who acknowledged significant delays “despite our best efforts” during last week’s asphalt paving.
And work over the next 30 days will likely lead to some single-lane traffic every workday, according to Northridge Excavating Ltd. project manager Bob Mitchell, as crews connect private driveways to the new asphalt surface. Mitchell and Northridge issued a construction notice Thursday, Sept. 18, thanking motorists and pedestrians for their patience and reminding islanders the speed limit throughout the project remains 30 km/h.
“We realize the paving last week was painful,” said Mitchell. “The stress was very high on our side too, we are all a bit dazed from it.”
Heavy traffic plagued the busy thoroughfare between Cranberry Road and Seaview Avenue — sometimes backing up through Ganges — as a week of asphalt-laying Sept. 8 to 12 set a final fresh surface atop previous months’ efforts.
As for the still incomplete stretch between Drake Road and Seaview Avenue, Mitchell said progress was being made but design questions remained — and he hesitated to predict what traffic disruptions might be ahead there before the final surface treatment for the road was determined.
“In civil work, I often think of the first half of the job as making things messy as we demolish old infrastructure and dig big holes,” said Mitchell. “The second half is putting everything back together again and making it look nice. We are solidly into the second half now although the north section of the project is still awaiting a few decisions.”
The paved swale on the west side of Fulford-Ganges Road will be completed after the driveways, Mitchell added, and major works will continue on Alders Road for about two months as crews complete the last pieces of the storm drain infrastructure.