The landscape of southern Coquitlam is changing daily as builders work around the clock to clear brush, carve out new roads and pound in foundations for the $2.46-billion Port Mann Bridge and Highway 1 improvements.

It is here, at the old Fraser Mills site, where huge concrete slabs are being fabricated for the new bridge. The contractor, Kiewit Flatiron, with 330 workers now on the job and 900 more to come, has established an office on Schoolhouse Street in Coquitlam and stores its equipment nearby, and many elements of the project are either being built here or have to be transported from Coquitlam to various job sites.

It’s no surprise, then, that Tri-City commuters find themselves at Ground Zero for the 37-kilometre regional project that is aimed at cutting commute times, reducing transportation costs for movers of goods and making it easier for people to take transit. In fact, according to the vice-president of technical services for the project — who also happens to be a long-time Port Coquitlam resident — local drivers are expected to be among the biggest beneficiaries once the bridge and road works are finished in December 2013.

Commuters and truckers who now languish along the narrow traffic corridor will, in just a few short years, be able to move easily between the Tri-Cities, Vancouver and Surrey, Garry Dawson says.

“The biggest benefit is getting the corridor freed up and traffic moving better,” he said.

But between now and the ribbon cutting, those who live and work in the area or who pass through it on their way to someplace else will be in the midst of a construction zone. Some of it is hidden behind privacy screens to reduce rubber-necking but much of the new bridge and road works are visible and some will require re-routing or detours — and patience.

“We’re obviously trying to find the balance between minimizing disruption while building in a timely fashion,” Dawson said.

A key requirement of the builders is to keep traffic moving, a tall order given the scope of the project on one of the region’s busiest highways. But it’s crucial, and written into the contract, said Dawson, noting that the Crown corporation established to oversee the project has “ways to get their attention” if the contractors ignore problems and delays.

To minimize disruption and maximize predictability, the builders are doing as much work as possible at night, when traffic volumes are low, and letting people know about lane closures or detours in advance with regular bulletins and website updates (www.pmh1project.com).

Sometimes, temporary roads will be built or existing roads re-lined or reconfigured to steer traffic around construction sites. One example is the access to the Mary Hill Bypass and United Boulevard for drivers coming off the freeway; it requires re-routing and a temporary intersection east of Leeder Avenue. The soil there is soft and could liquefy in an earthquake so stone columns are being driven in to stabilize the ground for new overpass infrastructure and bridge works. Eventually, freeway traffic will exit directly onto the Mary Hill bypass, without the need for an intersection.

Redirecting traffic away from the area now is giving construction workers more room to do the stabilizing work in the narrow corridor, Dawson explained.

Despite the effort in trying to make construction more predictable and reduce disruption, Dawson said complaints are still coming in, usually from people uncertain about what’s going on. Noise complaints are also common, although efforts are being made to keep noise down, including the use of vibrator piling techniques and eliminating the need for trucks to back-up so their warning beepers don’t go off.

All in all, it’s a juggling act, Dawson admits. But the good news is the project is already 15% complete, with the new bridge expected to be finished in 2012, a year ahead of schedule. Improvements to the Cape Horn exchange to allow cars better access and egress to the bridge and freeway should be done by December 2013.

dstrandberg@tricitynews.com