LAC LA BICHE - Lac La Biche County Community Peace Officers and local RCMP have been busy with traffic calls over the last week as construction zones have forced drivers to watch detour signs and travel unfamiliar roadways. The construction along Main Street from 102 Street to 103 Street began on May 1.
One of the largest increases in traffic is along the back alley south of Lac La Biche's Main Street, with peace officers patrolling regularly. Signs around the community, diverting traffic from the entire block of construction that has disrupted downtown traffic between 102 and 103 Street, have caused some confusion, say local police — but much of the patrols are for preventative policing.
"It's been a busy week — but we are trying to educate drivers as they move around the construction areas," says Lac La Biche County's Enforcement Services Manager Chris Clark.
According to Lac La Biche County officials, the construction project will keep the stretch of the downtown street blocked until October. The construction is part of a $31.5 million overhaul to municipal utility services in the downtown area. The utility replacement will see all of the old, cast-iron water and sewer pipes replaced with more durable PVC product.
The construction project's total price tag also includes costs to update many surface features in the downtown, including decorative pedestrian features like sidewalk benches and new street lighting. Design feature like wider sidewalks and bulb-out walkways at main intersections are also included in the plan that has been in the works since 2018.
Once this year's construction work is completed, the next phase of the project will focus on Main Street from 101 Street at the ATB to 102 Street at Value Drugs. New traffic and pedestrian pattern changes will coincide with that phase of the construction project.