Unplanned Construction: Eagleson Northbound Closure
As many residents in Richmond know, there was a meeting last night in the village regarding the Village of Richmond Forcemain twinning project. You can view the full presentation here.
By way of background, the City of Ottawa is undertaking the twinning of the existing Richmond Sanitary Forcemain sewer from the Richmond Sanitary Pumping Station in the Village and along Eagleson Road to Hazeldean Road/Robertson Road. The existing sanitary forcemain is being twinned to provide extra sewage capacity for new developments. Twinning of the sewer will improve the reliability and operations of the existing Village of Richmond wastewater pumping station and will extend the lifespan of the existing forcemain.
More information on the project is available here.
Last year, work was undertaken to along Eagleson to install the forcemain pipe. Prior to accepting the pipe, the City identified areas of concern through its quality control process prior. Sections of the new pipe could not maintain pressure when tested with high-pressure potable water. It was identified that there was a manufacturing defect with the pipe. As a result, the pipeline must be replaced.
The manufacturer will be supplying a new pipe from a different assembly plant. This repair is under warranty and thus no additional costs will be incurred by taxpayers.
What this means for the community
Eagleson Road northbound will be closed from Old Richmond Road to Fallowfield Road starting June 2nd.
Construction will resume on June 3rd.
A Northbound lane closure on Eagleson will be in effect until fall 2024.
The Southbound lane Eagleson Road will remain open to traffic.
The planned resurfacing of Eagleson Road will be delayed until 2025.
FAQs
Who is at fault for the unplanned construction work?
The additional work is required because a manufacturing defect was discovered in the pipes through the quality control process of the commissioning phase.
The pipe manufacturer and contractor are responsible for all costs associated with the replacement of the pipes
Will there be a cost to taxpayers?
This is a deficiency, and deficiency costs are covered by the contractor under the terms of the contract. There is no monetary cost to the City.
What are the specific traffic impacts of the unplanned construction work?
Eagleson Road will be reduced to one southbound lane from June to fall 2024.
The detour route for northbound traffic will be to use Old Richmond Road to Fallowfield Road, the same detour that was in effect last year.
Why is this forcemain necessary, and what benefit does it provide to the community?
The existing sanitary forcemain is being twinned to provide extra sewage capacity for the new developments within the Village of Richmond.
Twinning of the sewer will improve the reliability and operations of the existing Richmond wastewater pumping station
What are the impacts of this unplanned work on the planned resurfacing of Eagleson?
The resurfacing of Eagleson Road through the project limits (from Old Richmond Road to Fallowfield Road) was originally scheduled for this year and will be postponed pending the completion of this work. The resurfacing is planned to proceed in 2025.
How long will the closure go on for?
The northbound lane of Eagleson Road will close on June 2 until fall 2024.
Will the closures impact the Richmond Fair?
The Richmond Fair is scheduled for the week of September 19th and the project team will be reviewing construction plans to minimize any disruption.
What other routes can I take for travelling north out of Richmond?
The recommended detour route is Old Richmond Road to Fallowfield Road. Other options include taking Barnsdale Road east to connect with Twin Elm Road, Moodie Drive or the 416 or Shea Road and Huntley Road to head to the north west.
How will the closure interact with other, concurrent road closures?
City departments work together to ensure that traffic impacts do not make it impossible for residents to get around. Coordination of closures are monitored and managed to prevent these issues.
Residents with feedback for the City can submit that feedback here.