Here's what Newmarket residents can expect during forcemain twinning construction

Cotter Street, Pearson Street closed up to four months for $100 million, 3--year project

Yorkregion.com
June 4, 2019
Teresa Latchford

The Town of Newmarket is about to be twinned.

Come mid--June, York Region will begin construction to improve the local wastewater system that protects the natural environment from the risk of forcemain breaks and allow for maintenance to the existing forcemain, a pressurized sewer pipe powered by a pumping station and used to move wastewater, including sewage.

Newmarket’s wastewater is now collected at the Bayview pumping station and moved south to Durham through just such a pipe.

“The original pipe was built by the province and handed over to local government in 1983,” York Region environment services project manager Jose Manalo said. “We haven’t been able to stop the flow since it was built to inspect the existing pipe.”

While the pipe has never sprung a leak, it is aging and if it were to leak or break, it would spill sewage into the environment and surrounding watercourses, which could lead to contaminated drinking water.

This project will lay a second pipe beside the existing pipe allowing the wastewater flow to be shifted to the new pipe so the older pipe can be inspected and any needed upkeep completed. It will also act as a backup pipe should there ever be a leak or break.

“This is the only forcemain pipe in York Region that isn’t twinned,” Manalo added.

The project is expected to cost $100 million, which will come from development charges and funding from the federal government and will take about three years to complete.

The pipe will be installed south to north beginning to the west of Bayview Avenue just north of the Town of Aurora border and going north to the Bayview pumping station following the path of existing parkland.

While residents are accustomed to seeing deep trenches, road closures and service disruptions with pipe installations, the technology and process being used in this case will limit construction to ten specific work sites.

“We purposely selected work sites that were as far from residential properties as possible to limit any disruptions,” he added.

A nine--metre hole will be dug at each work site, beginning at the south end of the project and moving north, and a drill inserted to dig underground and insert the pipe. This method has been used in the region twice before and Manalo said there is no noise associated with the work being done underground.

So what can residents expect during execution of the project?

Most of the visible work will happen around the designated work sites, which will be fenced in by a three--metre fence designed to reduce noise and keep the public from accidentally wandering into a construction zone.

Work can only be conducted between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. as laid out in the town’s noise bylaw.

Access to residential and commercial driveways will be maintained during construction, as most of the work will be going on underground, not above.

“We don’t expect there to be many full road closures,” he said. “Having said that, there will be temporary lane closures on occasion, but two--way traffic will be maintained at all times.”

Cotter Street and Pearson Street in Newmarket will be closed to traffic for a period of up to four months, but residents living on those streets will still be able to come and go with full access to their driveways.

There will be heavy truck traffic needed to remove the earth displaced by the drill, but the region has set out specific truck routes for the contractor to ensure use of local roads is limited.

Some trees will have to be removed to allow the construction of the work sites. The region has planned to replace them with new trees when work at the sites are completed.

The Tom Taylor Trail is to remain open, but more information will be provided if a temporary closure is required.

Two public information sessions at the Newmarket Community Centre were well attended and residents had a number of questions.

Those who were not able to attend can still ask questions or voice concerns by calling 1--800--667--4817 or by emailing accessyork@york.ca.

For more information about the project, visit York.ca.