The construction project at the intersection of Mamquam Road and Highway 99 has been delayed further.
The project is meant to upgrade the main sewer line under Highway 99 and connect both sides of Mamquam Road.
In a news release sent Dec. 7, a spokesperson for the District of Squamish said the hope was to avoid digging a trench.
“While the District and its contractor hoped to use a trenchless method to minimize traffic disruption, efforts to go this route have failed,” wrote Rachel Boguski in the release.
“Project completion will now require a traditional trench dig across Highway 99 in co-ordination with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.”
Originally, the project began in the summer of 2021 and was expected to be completed in the Fall of 2021.
That fall, the upgrades were said to be taking longer and were expected to be finished in 2022.
The main culprit for the most recent delay is that the asbestos cement pipe changes into steel underneath the highway, which was not indicated in the records that the District maintains.
“We have made every effort to replace this pipe without opening up Highway 99 as that has significant impacts we were hoping to avoid,” said the general manager of Community Planning and Sustainability, Gary Buxton, in the release. “Unfortunately, this can be likened to an old home renovation where you don’t fully know what you’re dealing with until you open up the walls.”
All told, the project completed 50% of the sewer main replacement between Diamond Head Road and Highway 99.
Now, District staff will bring a new project to council for funding in 2023 and will work with the ministry on the design and timing to complete the project.
