OLDS — A $355,000 project to upgrade infrastructure in the area of The Brick and Circle K will have to wait for spring to be completed.
The project included upgrading asphalt to the entire laneway from the right in/right out access point off of Highway 27 to the entrance/exit on 57th Avenue.
It also involved rebuilding the curb, gutter and sidewalk along the east side of 57th Avenue between the laneway and Highway 27.
Plans called for the project to be paid for with federal gas tax funds.
In an update to council, operations director Scott Grieco said workers managed to lay down one lift of pavement before winter set in.
He said the remainder of the project will be completed this spring.
Meanwhile, temporary barriers have been set up to prevent drivers from using the area as a shortcut, a problem Coun. Heather Ryan brought up.
Grieco and chief administrative officer Brent Williams said in the spring, a cable and post system will be installed to keep people from going where they’re not supposed to.
“The issue was traffic trespassing on the recently-completed area,” Williams said.
“We have several concrete and a couple of divert barriers in place right now. But the cable and post system won’t be installed until the spring.
“But those barriers, combined with the snowbanks, ought to provide good enough coverage for now.”
Ryan thanked administrative staff for the update.
She earlier noted that when the barriers weren’t up there, people were "just driving wherever they want.”
She also noted that one orange barrier had fallen down.
Grieco said the cable and post system was not envisioned for the area at the outset of the project "but we kind of identified it as a need.”
He said some landscape rock will be installed along with the cable and post system.
