Nighttime paving of a stretch of road in front of Royal Columbian Hospital means the work can be completed over three evenings – work that would take six days to be done if it was done during the day.
City council has approved a request for an exemption to the construction noise bylaw for All Roads Construction Ltd., so it can do “surface lift paving” along the 300 block of East Columbia Street, between Keary and Sherbrooke streets. The work will be done on three nights, between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., between Oct. 9 and 30, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and statutory holidays.
A staff report said the work will include the laying of fresh pavement along the northbound and southbound traffic lanes.
“Due to the daytime traffic flows in and around the Royal Columbian Hospital, nighttime paving work would greatly minimize impact to hospital operations, such as ambulance access to the emergency unit,” said a report to council. “Conducting the paving during the overnight hours would reduce the work required from six days to three nights, significantly reducing disruptions to ambulance and public access.”
A staff report said the work is weather department and must be completed during dry weather to allow the concrete to settle. That is why additional days have been included in the exemption request.
According to a staff report, traffic counts from 2011 showed that vehicle volumes along East Columbia Street are considered high during the day, with average peak volumes of about 940 vehicles per hour. After 6 p.m., that dropped by almost half, with average peak volumes of 540 vehicles per hour. (The last traffic counts in this area were done in 2011.)
To maintain access for emergency vehicles to the hospital, the report said single-lane alternating traffic pattern on East Columbia Street is required.
Because of the higher volumes of vehicles during the day, staff said this single-lane alternating traffic (SLAT) pattern would result in longer queues for transit and vehicle traffic and would add to emergency vehicle response times.
“Paving will begin with the closure of the southbound travel lane starting from Sherbrooke Street to Keary Street,” said the report. “Once complete, the closure will switch to the northbound travel lane from Keary Street and proceed north to Sherbrook Street.”
Some things to note, as per city staff:
- Traffic control personnel will be on site to control the flow of traffic.
- All sidewalks will be maintained ring paving, but there will be intermittent closures of crosswalks at intersections where paving is taking place.
- Pedestrians and cyclists will be detoured around the work zone by traffic control personnel.
- Cyclists will be required to share the road with vehicles for brief periods while travelling through the work zone.
- Sidewalk access to local businesses in this stretch of East Columbia Street won’t be impacted but parking may be affected.
- Some bus stops in this stretch of East Columbia Street will be temporarily closed. The buses won’t be detoured from their regular routes.
