Why they've closed the Wellington Street underpass

The bad news is that the underpass on Wellington Street West near Lyons Avenue is now closed for road work, and will remain closed for the next two months.

The good news is that you'll find fewer car-swamping mud pudddles down there after in the job is done.

City Environmental/ Construction Engineer Don Elliot tells SooToday.com that they're moving the Fort Creek box culvert as part of the transportation corridor project.

But as an added bonus, Elliot says, the underpass should be a lot drier on rainy days when the work is done.

"Right now there's a pumping station to drain the underpass during a storm," he said. "We'll be reconfiguring the pipe system so it will drain by gravity instead."

The pumping station is 28 years old and would have been due to be replaced within the next 10 years, said Elliot.

Draining the water that collects under the rail bridge into an old sanitary sewer will save the City on maintenance and replacement costs for the pumping station.

It's also expected to work at least as well as the pumps.

"Things should improve there a lot," said Elliot. "Any time you can use gravity, it's a good thing."

Underpass traffic is being detoured north on Farwell Terrace to Conmee Avenue where it passes the northernmost part of Northland Avenue.

John Street is now open from Second Line Road to Conmee Avenue, again opening two of the three major routes from the west end of Sault Ste. Marie to downtown.

The box culvert being moved runs under Wellington West on the south side to John Street and it needs to be moved east about 100 feet.

Signs have been located at key locations throughout the area indicating that the underpass is closed but businesses on Wellington West in the area of construction remain open and accessible.