This time next year, travellers back and forth between Labrador City and Wabush will be using an underpass and will not have to worry about getting stuck at the rail crossing.
The underpass, which will be situated just off the existing highway, is being financed by Consolidated Thompson (CLM) who has added 250 ore cars to the QNS&L system to transport ore from its Bloom Lake mine. A commitment was made to the provincial government to have the underpass completed by next summer.
There have been some rumours wafting around Labrador West (over the last couple of months) of a delay in the multi-million dollar project, a rumour Richard Quesnel is quick to dispel.
“No, no, no, it’s definitely starting this year for sure,” the Chief Executive Officer said when asked if the underpass was postponed for this year. “We are very committed to the underpass. What we are doing now is finalizing the bids and it will start up within the next couple of weeks.”
Railwork ongoing
Rail Cantech, the contracting company that did the work on the new 31-kilometre rail line for Bloom Lake, is currently installing a temporary rail in around the site of the underpass. This second rail, Quesnel explained, is to allow for ore shipment while the underpass project is under construction as not to interrupt shipping schedules.
Although, the bids weren’t finalized at the time of the interview with the Aurora, Quesnel did say the contracting company Rockcliffe, who carried out construction work for the rail project for the Bloom Lake, did bid on the underpass project.
He praised the quality and timeliness of the previous projects carried out by both contracting companies and says he would like for that scope and quality of work to continue on the underpass.
"This underpass is our social license to operate and we are very committed to this.” - Richard Quesnel, CEO Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines
Top quality
“It’s a turnkey project,” he said of the underpass. “And we want the expertise because we want the underpass to be the best. This underpass is our social license to operate and we are very committed to this.”
Although the time agreed on with the Province to have the underpass complete was Aug. 2011, Quesnel said, if all goes well, it could even be done a month early (July 2011).
In the meantime those in Labrador West can expect to see ground moving and retaining walls going up by mid-September as the work is set to begin.
“It is definitely starting this year for sure and we will get as much as possible work done before freezing starts,” said the CEO. “And, I want to thank the local people for their support on this.”
As with any project of this nature, he acknowledged, there are some inconveniences to the travelling public. Some heavy rainfall in the area recently made for a rough bump in the construction area, but Quesnel assured it’s been taken care of. The area will be paved, he said, by the a contractor already paving in the area.
“As soon as we become aware of a problem,” he said. “We move promptly to have it resolved. We want to see the project completed as soon as possible and we want it to be the best. I want to thank the government of Newfoundland and Labrador for their support as well.”
When the construction begins, the public will be able to view the graphic design, which will be on display in the general area.
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