Reconstruction of Grosvenor between de Maisonneuve and Sherbrooke

16 May 2017

As part of Westmount’s Capital Works programme, the City will carry out the reconstruction work of Grosvenor Avenue between de Maisonneuve Boulevard and Sherbrooke Street.

The project includes the replacement of the public portion of the water services, the reconstruction of the water main, the replacement of the street lighting, the reconstruction of the sidewalk as well as the reconstruction of the roadway. The contractor is CMS Entrepreneurs Généraux Inc. The duration of the work is 25 weeks.

Electrical infrastructure work including the construction of new conduit banks and the reconstruction of a manhole will also be carried out as part of this project.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The following is a list of frequently asked questions that we have recently received regarding this project

Q1: Can the City plumber inspect our sewer pipes?
A1: No, the City’s plumbing inspector cannot inspect the sewer connections. The sewer connections that link homes to the main are private and it is the responsibility of the homeowner to inspect and maintain the connection.
Q2. Can residents view the plans?
A2: Residents wishing to view the construction plans and tender documents must file an access to information request through the City Clerk’s office. These documents are quite lengthy.
Q3. When can we get a copy of the work schedule?
A3. A start up meeting was held this past Friday May 5th and we are awaiting the project schedule from the contractor. This will be shared once it has been received and validated by our team. Please note that the schedule is not static and will evolve throughout the course of the work.The work involves a very tight schedule with the project scheduled to begin during the week of May 15th and run into early November.
Q4. Why did the city not recommend to residents to replace their sewer pipes?
A4. It has been our experience that the private sewer connections are generally not problematic regardless of their age. The average depth of a sewer connection is 2.5m to 3, which is significantly below the level of excavation required for this type of infrastructure project (i.e. the contractor will not be exposing the sewer connections). There would still be a significant cost involved for residents to replace their actual connection. Conversely, the water connection is exposed during the work as the City will replace the public portion of the service and excavate around the valve box which is located on the property line. This results in a significant cost savings for the resident that wish to replace the water entrance.
Q5. Can the sidewalks and street width be modified from their current state?
A5. The current sidewalks widths are 1.52m and the street width is 7.0m which meet the MTQ requirement. The widening of the sidewalks is not feasible due to the presence and the positioning of significant underground infrastructure.
Q6. Can sidewalk projections or “bump-outs” be integrated into this project?
A6. The presence of a dense underground infrastructure network does not permit the construction of sidewalk projections or bump-outs. A sidewalk projection or bump-out cannot be installed mid-block due to the location of private driveway ramps.
Q7. Can a private contractor enter the site to replace a private water service?
A7. Yes, the City contractor must leave the excavation around the valve open for 3 days to allow residents to replace the private portion of the water service. Therefore residents intending to carry out this work should notify Public Works of their intention to so, so as to ensure proper coordination of the work.
Q8. Can special slopes be integrated into the sidewalk?
A8. No, for drainage and snow clearing operations special slopes cannot be integrated into sidewalks.
Q9. Why did you not consult residents before the project was published for tender? Why was there an information meeting and not a consultation meeting?
A9. Residents are consulted for projects which include major street redesigns. Due to the dense amount and the positioning of underground infrastructure on Grosvenor, a redesign of the street was not possible.