Traffic on 100 Street won’t be able to head north or south at the intersection with 100 Avenue for upwards of 10 days as construction on the fourth phase of downtown rehabilitation gets underway May 3rd. The closures will then expand east along 100 Avenue to 99 Street as work progresses throughout the summer.
Business Ambassador Monty Haughian says temporary traffic lights located at 100 Street and 102 Avenue as well as 102 Street and 102 Avenue have gone up to try to help make the detours more streamlined. However, he admits that it will still likely take some getting used to.
“It’s always tough to tell where people are going in an urban zone… if you’re going up 100 Street, where are you going from there? We’ve tried to use detour signs to help you get through the area.”
The $14 million project will complete the fourth stage of revitalization on 100 Avenue from west of 100 Street to 98 Street. Work will consist of sanitary line replacement, roadway construction, and the installation of wider sidewalks and higher visibility pedestrian crossings.
Haughian says the closures will be fairly spotty after the initial kick-off, but he says during the height of summer, likely July, a longer-term detour will be put in place as crews work towards an eventual autumn finish line.
“At that point in time, 100 Street will close for approximately a month,” he says. “The detours will be in place throughout the summer months.”
The City of Grande Prairie has also posted an online map of the planned detour, as well as an updated parking availability map for those needing to head into the downtown core during construction. Haughian adds work on the fourth and final phase of the downtown rehabilitation project is expected to wrap up by October.