While summer may be the season for construction, some residents in Ottawa say it is taking far too long for certain projects to be completed.
“For a stretch of one kilometer to take that much time, it’s just beyond understanding,” said Gus Anbara, who owns a business along Bronson Avenue.
“I don’t know what they’re supposed to be doing, it’s just too much time.”
Roads are being torn up across the city to replace old infrastructure.
One of the largest projects is taking place on Bronson Avenue between Catherine and Somerset Streets
Local business owners say it is hurting their bottom line.
“It’s killing us, it’s killing us,” said Anbara.
City officials say the projects are more complicated than people may think.
“Projects like these aren’t as simple as digging a hole and putting a pipe in the ground,” said construction manager Ziad Ghadban.
“It doesn’t happen overnight, there’s a lot of effort that goes into it,” he said.
Other major construction projects in the city include Woodroofe Avenue between Baseline Road and the Queensway, as well as the Rideau Street renewal, which has shut down Rideau Street between Dalhousie and Chapel Street until December.
Some business owners said they would be in favour of around the clock construction in order to get it all done on time, but the city said it would be an inconvenience and too expensive.
As part of the “Ottawa on the Move” project, the city is spending $340 million to improve Ottawa’s roads and replace aging infrastructure by 2012, ahead of the LRT system coming in.
With a report from CTV Ottawa’s Ellen Mauro
