On the second day that the southbound lanes of the John Hart Bridge were closed, motorists had started to figure out alternate routes from the Hart Highlands into the city.
The busiest of the three bridges across the Nechako River has been undergoing partial closures while a sanitary sewer forcemain is being repaired. As of Wednesday, Oct. 9, both southbound lanes are closed, and will be until Oct. 24.
This leaves drivers southbound on Highway 97 having to exit via an offramp to get onto North Nechako Road, turning either west to get to the Foothills Bridge or east to get to the Cameron Street Bridge. It's on the approaches to the other two bridges that delays are happening, according to motorists who make the commute daily.
Drivers who usually get from the Hart to the Bowl via North Nechako Road are also hitting the delays, with additional volume coming from commuters who usually use 97 but are, this week, choosing the more western route to get to the Foothills Bridge.
One question has been raised: Why not reduce the John Hart Bridge to one lane in each direction, rather than closing the southbound lanes altogether?
In years past, the city has removed the concrete dividers running down the middle of the bridge, separating its northbound and southbound lanes. Doing this allows for one lane in each direction.
While there would still be delays, some motorists would be able to head south via that bridge.
It turns out the city did consider that option.
“That was our original proposal but (the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure) wasn’t in favour because of the impacts it would have had on northbound traffic," said project manager Adam Mathison in an email response to The Citizen.
"During peak times traffic would have backed up to 5th Avenue, 10th Avenue, and possibly 15th Avenue or farther, and this would have triggered further disruption to the system. The current plan was chosen to complete the project in the shortest possible time frame with the least amount of impacts.”
The work is being done after a 2019 inspection of the sanitary forcemain found issues that require its replacement.
Crews are installing a permanent bypass line under the bridge, running about 1,300 metres from lift station PW117 on Richard Road to the intersection of Highway 97 and 5th Avenue where it will tie into the existing line.
