REGINA -- The 2021 construction season in Regina has officially begun as crews work to finish projects from last season.

The City of Regina said the 2021 season will be very busy, with 150 kilometres of road expected to be repaired by the end of the season.

The City has earmarked $112.6 million for transportation, water, wastewater and drainage projects this year.

The biggest project is the $7.9 million McCarthy Boulevard Infrastructure Improvement project, which began Monday.

The two-year plan will start with sewer renewal and bridge rehabilitation between Dewdney Avenue and Fourth Avenue. That work is expected to be done by the end of June, with the remaining bridge work starting in July. The road will be fixed in 2022.

“It’s a very busy construction schedule this summer. And all of it is happening as a result of very careful planning to ensure Regina residents are inconvenienced as little as possible,” Sandra Masters, Mayor of Regina, said.

McCarthy was closed to traffic on Monday, but the multiuse path will remain open throughout the project. Some closures may happen during certain points of construction.

The City is replacing the sewer along McCarthy, that services 60 per cent of Regina. The sewer runs under Wascana Creek. During the project, large generators will be running for 24 hours near the site.

Nearby residents may notice a slight chemical smell when the pipe is being installed. The City said the smell is not harmful for residents.

Demolition of the bridge will take place during the day, to avoid loud noise at night. However, some concrete may need to be poured overnight.

“Whether the work is down the street or across the city, residents will be impacted by safety restrictions or closures at some point,” Kim Onrait, executive director of Citizen Services, said.

OTHER PROJECTS

The City is doing work on Albert Street that was never done in 2020 due to the pandemic. It will include new lights and sidewalk work. The plan is to keep traffic moving in both directions during project.

Also in 2021, the city plans to do work on the sidewalks on Scarth Street and Lorne Street and will begin a two-year replacement of the Winnipeg Street overpass.

The City said most projects will begin in May and wrap up around October. Some multi-year projects have already started.

Residents can view a list of current construction projects on the cities website