Departure Bay Pump Station and Forcemain Expansion Project

Hello, and thank you for your question. A number of factors affect how the project schedule and construction sequence are developed, including traffic impacts, permitting requirements, and construction costs. The traffic management of this narrow corridor has had a large influence on the sequencing of this project and is being developed to minimize impact to the community.

The construction costs on a large project like this are managed across the whole project budget and are not broken down into sections. This means the costs experienced from the installation of the pipe are continuous and not impacted by the length of the section being constructed. Escalation costs on materials are being monitored closely, and the project team is actively looking at ways to manage these impacts. For example, purchasing materials early and storing them until they are needed is an effective way to reduce these costs.

The team is committed to delivering this project as efficiently and cost‑effectively as possible while minimizing impacts to the community.

Hello - We are currently developing a traffic management plan – a process that includes looking at a range of traffic management approaches to assess how best to maintain flow, meet service needs and enable the project to progress. No decisions have been made about the traffic management plan at this time, as it is still in development. We will share the outcome of that planning process with the community as soon as we're able.

Hello - thanks for the questions. The entire Departure Bay Pump Station and Forcemain project - which includes the installation of the forcemain along the roadway and the upgrades to the pump station - will take four years in total. The work is expected to take that long due to the complexity of replacements, and because the Hammond Bay road corridor has limited capacity to accommodate the significant construction required while maintaining an appropriate level of services to the area (traffic, emergency services, transit, waste collection, water, sewer, etc). The project team is also interested in seeing it move forward as efficiently as possible, and has spent a lot of time planning to balance the community's needs with the goal of maximizing productivity. 

Thank you for your comment and suggestion. The sewage system on Protection Island is a unique and complex "step system" and it is not typically constructed in new developments where gravity sewer connections are available. Retaining the solids in future developments would not make a significant difference to the capacity requirements for the pumpstation or forcemain. The improvements to the DBPF forcemain and pump station are required to meet current demand as well as future possible growth.

Hello RickF - Access to the Charlaine Boat Ramp will be maintained during construction - however, there will be impacts to traffic flow along Hammond Bay Road to access the boat ramp and area parks, and users should expect delays along the construction route. Details are still being developed about traffic management plans and will be shared when available.

 Hello - thanks for your questions. In response:

• A traffic management plan is being developed now that will look at options for maintaining traffic flow. It will consider traffic management, potential alternate routes, traffic light timing, safety for all road users, emergency vehicle and service vehicle access, transit and more. The plan will include an assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of opening the connection between Gulfview and Sundown to balance traffic flow and road safety; at this stage a recommendation has not been made. The overall plan will make recommendations about how best to alleviate traffic along Hammond Bay Road while allowing work to be completed. Construction of new roads though Linley Valley are not being considered.

• The City has heard from residents and neighbourhood associations in the area that pedestrian and cycling safety on Hammond Bay Road is a community priority.  The nature of the corridor creates challenges to achieving upgrades. There may be opportunity to deliver some improvements during the DBPF project and the City is currently reviewing what surface improvements could be accomplished during this project period.  Once there is more information on the potential surface works, it will be shared with the public.

Hello - we understand that construction work on Hammond Bay Road will be disruptive for the many people who work, live and commute through the area. We are currently developing a traffic management plan that will guide the project in maintaining flow as much as possible, and we will share the details of that plan as soon as we're able. As part of the analysis for this plan, traffic engineers look at current flow patterns and assess what traffic management tools will best meet the needs of commuters, residents, emergency services, transit, the construction team and more.  

Hello - Knappett Industries is the civil contractor working with the RDN's project team.

Hello - we understand the duration of this work is challenging, and the project team is also interested in seeing it move forward as efficiently as possible. Work schedules can be influenced by many factors including safety of workers, the public, traffic and more. The Hammond Bay road corridor has limited capacity to accommodate the significant construction required while maintaining an appropriate level of services to the area (traffic, emergency services, transit, waste collection, water, sewer, etc). The team has spent a lot of time planning to balance the community's needs with the goal of maximizing productivity. We will continue to look for opportunities to complete work as quickly as we can - but this is a challenging construction zone and at this time the community should be prepared for a full four-year schedule.

Hello MarcD - We understand the importance of sharing this information with the community as soon as possible, and with notice that allows people to prepare before construction begins. While we don't have a specific date, we are committed to sharing the complete information thoroughly when the final plan is completed. Please be assured that notice will be provided to the community with enough time that commuters will know what to expect and be able to make plans.