City project makes a muddy mess of Waterloo Avenue. Or is it a mirage?

Thestar.com
Dec. 11, 2020
Jack Lakey

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what does the photo with this column tell you?

It looks like a construction project has turned a street into a sea of mud, even though the city says it monitors the job every day to ensure that the street is not a sea of mud.

So, do you believe your eyes, or the city?

I was driving last Friday on Goddard Street, near Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue, when I got to Waterloo Avenue, where construction was underway, west of Goddard.

It was just after 4 p.m. and the job was clearly done for the day: there were no workers to be seen and the equipment was parked at the side of the street.

But the road was covered for at least a block by a thick layer of soupy mud, a clear violation of a city bylaw that requires contractors to ensure that the road allowance is not fouled by mud or debris.

A conscientious contractor that plays by the rules will bring in a machine that sweeps and washes down the road -- and sticks to the task as much as necessary -- to comply with the bylaw.

Given that it was after 4 p.m. and the job was apparently done for the day -- and quite likely the weekend -- it seemed unlikely that a sweeper would suddenly appear with twilight approaching and lean into it.

Just for fun, I drove east along Waterloo until I got to Bryant Street, where the street was also under construction, part of the same project to install infrastructure to alleviate local basement flooding.

A few workers were just finishing up for the day, while the street was nearly as mud-coated as it was at Waterloo and Goddard.

STATUS: I emailed the city to ask if its projects are exempt from the bylaw on fouling the road allowance that it applies to private construction, and if not, why its contractor is allowed to make such a mess.

I got an astounding reply from Dan Campeanu, senior manager of the basement flooding protection program, suggesting the job site is clean as a whistle and that the city is right on top of keeping the street clear of mud.

“On Tuesday Dec. 8, the project team did a site inspection to review the current condition of the roadway on Waterloo Avenue. At that time, the roadway was in good condition -- clear of mud and debris.”

He went on to say that the city requires the contractor to keep “the roadways and work areas clear of mud and other construction-related debris on a daily basis throughout the duration of a construction project. Please note that the contractor is contractually obligated to complete all work within the city’s road allowance in accordance with city standards.”

He added that “this work zone is inspected on a daily basis by the site inspection consultant team to ensure and enforce the cleaning of the roadways by the contractor. The consultant and City Project Manager have confirmed that (the contractor) is providing a sweeper throughout the work week to ensure that the work area and roadway is kept clean and free of mud. If any concerns or issues are identified by the site inspection team, (the contractor) is notified immediately to address these issues,” said Campeanu.

“If an immediate action is not taken by the contractor, a formal contractual order is issued to the contractor to ensure compliance. Furthermore, the current status of the work zone with respect to cleanliness and restoration is formally discussed with the contractor during the bi-weekly progress meetings. City staff will continue to work with the contractor to ensure that the city standards within the road allowance are maintained and that the site is kept in a safe and clean condition throughout the duration of the contract.”

The city’s assurances that the job is subject to strict inspections and enforcement reminded me of an old Soviet Union joke: The Minister of Propaganda has increased the chocolate ration from eight grams to four.