AMHERST – Work has begun on replacing the aboiteau on the LaPlanche River.
Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell announced Tuesday that the province has signed $5-million in contracts with Alva Construction to replace the existing aboiteau on the river that protects several million dollars in critical infrastructure and farmland.
“This is an important project for the agriculture industry and the community of Amherst,” the minister said. “I’m pleased that work has begun to ensure valuable farmland, marshes and community infrastructure remains protected.”
The new aboitea will replace the existing wooden aboiteau that has been in place since the 1950s. It will also replace an aboiteau that was demolished soon after it was placed in the river several years ago.
Construction began earlier this week with moving equipment and rock onto the site. The construction phase will include creating cofferdams, pile driving and concrete construction, earth works and armour rock protection.
Engineering consultants CBCL Ltd. completed earlier stages of the project, including design and geotechnical investigation, consultation and site selection.
“I really came to understand the importance of this issue before the election last year. There are some people in the community like Doug Bacon and John Atkinson who have been in constant touch with me and helping me understand what has to be done,” Cumberland North MLA Terry Farrell said. “Those are the people who really understand the power of the tides in the Bay of Fundy and the effect and protection the aboiteau provides.”
A.G. MacDonald of Alva Construction said work will continue on the site until mid-March, followed by a short shutdown with the project being completed by mid-July 2015.
“I don’t foresee it being difficult to work out there this winter. We’ve done plenty of winter work. It’ll be cold, but most of the work is machine work so we should be OK.”
Jim Giffin of CBCL said the new aboiteau won’t fail because of its design. He said the new aboiteau will be sitting on a pile foundation so it won’t be able to settle.
The project will include driving 93 steel pilings into the bedrock and building the aboiteau on top of those pilings. The box culvert, containing the double gates will sit on top of that cap and earthen structure will be built on top of that.
The aboiteau is operated by the Agriculture Department, under the Marshlands Conservation Act. The department monitors 241 kilometres of dykes and 260 aboiteaux that protect more than 43,000 acres of marshlands in the province.
“I’m really pleased with this government for taking the initiative and going ahead and doing it. It’s been tried before and it didn’t work, but that’s history,” Bacon said. “It’s been a long time coming and I can’t emphasize enough the infrastructure this aboiteau protects. When you think of it, it includes the town’s water supply, the wind farm, the rail line, homes and lots of important farmland.”
Bacon had expressed concern with the project’s timing saying earlier that he would prefer a spring 2015 start. However, he’s happy with the schedule set by Alva Construction and the fact the company is not going to rush and will take a winter break.
“It’s good to hear that they’re going to do the work as long as they can and then take a break and come back and finish it in the spring,” Bacon said.
Twitter: @ADNdarrell
