The solution to Ottawa’s east-end traffic nightmare is starting to arrive, piece by piece.
A replacement pipe that’s being built in Cambridge, Ont. is arriving at the scene of a sinkhole on a Highway 174 ramp in 18 parts.
In the meantime, city officials and drivers said they’re doing their best to cope while the hole on the Jeanne d’Arc off ramp lies open.
“I’ve been working later trying to make it better,” said one driver.
“I’ve tried bypassing it,” said another. “Everyone is going the same direction so it’s all backed up.”
Workers at Ottawa’s traffic operations centre said they’re monitoring traffic lights and routes closely to make it as efficient as possible.
“Where we see people going we’re able to optimize timing on alternate routes such as Innes road, Montreal Road and Ogilvie Road,” said Chris Brinkman.
“Definitely, I think we’re having an impact on it.”
Ontario’s infrastructure minister Bob Chiarelli said he can’t remember a storm pipe failing like this.
“It's a wake up call that we have to be very, very diligent in our highway infrastructure because it means safety to our public,” he said.
CTV Ottawa has learned work on replacing the pipe was delayed by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority in order to protect fish during spawning season.
The design for a replacement pipe was finished in December, but the RCVA told the city in February they couldn’t do any work between March 15 and July 1.
Preparation work on the site began Aug. 27, eight days before the pipe collapsed and swallowed a car.
The target date for full traffic restoration is Sept. 17.
With a report from CTV Ottawa’s John Hua
