Faithful readers will have seen earlier posts showing the excavation under the Somerset Viaduct, the placing of the new multi-user path underpass precast sections, and most recently, their waterproofing.
Here’s what’s been happening lately:
This version of the Canadarm pumps cement right to where the workers want it, when cement mixers cannot get close enough.
The arm reached right over the hole, and down the outside of the viaduct walls, to pump cement into reinforcing walls on the exterior of the viaduct:
Meanwhile, on the inside of the viaduct, workers installed the last of the tunnel waterproofing and drainage pipes, and started backfilling the hole:
And by yesterday, even the top of the tunnel roof is no longer visible. In fact, the large power shovel is parked on top of the bike tunnel:
Neat!
Any word on actually being able to use this tunnel in the foreseeable future?
When completed this fall, the tunnel will be closed at each end. In the 2012 budget, there is an effort to have the appropriate path built. Thus far the city wants to build it only from Somerset to Bayview; a coalition of cycliing and community groups is lobbying to have the path built from the ORP/Bayview right to Gladstone in the first phase. If necessary, we will accept a longer path at the price of a stonedust surface instead of paving, or other compromises, as we feel the longer segment will attract much more usage and the path can be paved later.
So having the path going all the way to Carling is only a dream I suppose?
Thanks for the info! (and thanks to those lobbying).
Somerset to Bayview… the ENTIRE 0.25km? 🙂
I would actually prefer fine stone dust over pavement because it wont crack and buckle over time. But yeah, it seems much of the landscaping, lighting and so on could wait, and that the priority should be opening up usable infrastructure that we’ve already essentially paid for.
Extending it to Gladstone more or less connects it to Carling, because the section between Carling and the 417 is great, and between the 417 and Gladstone was cleaned up enough this year that it’s not too bad. (I believe it was the City that cleaned it up, so presumably we’re actually allowed to use it…)
Creating the entire path was actually on the 2011 budget, but it got cut. It is on page 654 on http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/budget/budget_2011/budget_documents_en.html . The total price is $11.9M. I’m not sure how much the tunnel costs, but presumably it is part of the $11.9M, so the 2012 then would be less.
I don’t actually think it is so unlikely to be skipped out in the 2012 budget, but this is a good time to start lobbying your councillor.
– A