Construction crews working on the Valley Line LRT have hit an unexpected obstacle hiding beneath the North Saskatchewan River. TransEd announced the discovery of a car-sized concrete mass buried nine metres under the north berm of the Tawatinâ Bridge, and while the hinderance won't affect the design of the bridge, it has forced crews to arduously rethink the construction area.

Tawatinâ Bridge rendering, image via TransEd

TransEd says the obstruction did not appear in any geotechnical investigations, and although they're unable to confirm where it came from and how it got there, they noted it was not natural to the riverbed. The mass was uncovered in the fall while building a cofferdam, a watertight enclosure that allows construction work below the waterline. Following unsuccessful attempts to drill and break the mass, TransEd has brought in several experts who are now developing a safe way to work around the obstruction.

While the Valley Line is still expected to be operational in 2020, the shared-use path that forms part of the Tawatinâ Bridge will no longer be completed by May 2019. TransEd did not disclose a new opening date for the path.

Tawatinâ Bridge construction in late 2017, image by Forum contributor Daveography

A number of open houses are being held in the closing weeks of March to inform the public about upcoming construction in their neighbourhoods:

March 17 (1:00-3:00 p.m.) at Holyrood Elementary School

March 19 (5:00-7:30 p.m.) at Riverdale Community League

March 20 (10:30-1:30 p.m.) at The Westin Hotel

March 21 (5:00-7:30 p.m.) at Mill Woods Seniors and Multicultural Centre

March 22 (5:00-7:30 p.m.) at King Edward Park Community League

March 28 (5:00-7:30 p.m.) at Cloverdale Community League

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