Construction projects frustrate east Saint John residents

Construction season is in full swingand one new road improvement project has left residents in east Saint John frustrated as their commutes are getting longer.

A busy kilometre-long section of Hickey Roadfrom Heather Way to just before Loch Lomond Roadis closed to through traffic so pipes can be installed for the water system upgrade.

They haven't started the heavy duty construction yet, but on Thursdaybarricades hadalready been erected and lines indicating the pipe locations werepainted on the road.

The pipe installation is needed to complete the city's Safe Clean Water program.

"With the location of the water treatment plant at the top of Hickey Road," said Andrew Evenden, the project director for Port City Water Partners, which is responsible for the project.

"There were no transmission mains in place to allow that water to be entered into the transmission system, so those two pipes areessentialfor the system."

The group is also finishing up work on the less busy section of Hickey Road, past Heather Way.

Frustrating detours

The road is closed to through traffic, but there are a number of businesses, hundreds of houses, a high schooland an arena within the affected area, so local traffic can still come and go as needed

"All they need to do is stop and talk to the person manning that barricadeand then drive slowly and carefully through the area to their property,"Evendensaid.

But while residents aren't cut off completely, it doesn't mean they won't be inconvenienced.

"It's a pain, all this construction happening all at once," said BrittneySiegner, who lives in one of the affected subdivisions.

"To go to work, that usually takes five minutes," she said.

"[Now it's] probably going to be 15, fighting traffic on Heather Way, then fighting traffic on Grandview Avenue and down Champlain Heights."

Business owners are also worried.

Erica Landry'sGet Nailed Salon relies largely on appointments andon the first day of construction, some of her customers were unusually late.

"We've just been messaging all of our clientsand letting them know about the road being closed and just to go on through the detour sign," she said.

A necessary evil

Evenden says the company hopesto make the construction period as painless as possible, but they request patience during the process.

"We'll make sure we don't inconvenience residents and businesses, that's our priority," he said.

"We'll be as quick as we can, get out of the way, and get Hickey Road back to where it should be."

The work is expected to last until the end of August, before school at Simonds High resumes.

A detour has been set up along Grandview Avenue and Champlain Drive.