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Highway 56 construction wraps up, but more to come

The current watermain replacement construction on Highway 56 has wrapped up as of Dec. 20, including a giant hole

The current watermain replacement construction on Highway 56 has wrapped up as of Dec. 20, including a giant hole a driver drove his SUV into earlier this month.

The watermain construction is part of a multi-phase project to replace cast-iron watermains, which are more prone to breaks, according to Melissa Robbins, director of operational services for the Town of Stettler.

The replacements are being made ahead of the province’s plan to repave a section of the highway, which was delayed a year so that the town could replace the watermains now, rather than have to do so in later replacements, or in case of a break, damaging the newly paved section of highway.

“The first (phase) detour was hardest to sign,” Robbins admitted. “The next ones won’t be as challenging.”

The next phase of the project is set to start in January, but Robbins noted that it may not start until spring, as winter weather is unpredictable.

“If it’s -30 (degrees Celsius), we won’t be starting,” she said.