Work is continuing on Saskatchewan Avenue West in Portage la Prairie, and will continue for a couple more years.

Director of Operations Jocelyn Lequier-Jobin gives an update concerning where they're at and what's been completed.

"Right now, we have E.F. Moon, our contractor, working on replacement of sewer and water lines," says Lequier-Jobin. "Those lines were put in in the 50s. Before we spend lots of money making the road look nice, we want to make sure everything underneath is all up to date and in good condition. They are going to be doing the section from 4th St. W to 8th W this year. Next year, they will be doing the rest of the way down to the CPR tracks."

She explains the city will also issue out tenders for the land drainage portion and the road-works portion soon, which will take place over the next three years, to get the project completed in 2024.

"There could be some road lane closures where Moon will be tying in the water and sewer lines -- some local closures," adds Lequier-Jobin. "There likely won't be any major closures beyond what they have right now."

Lequier-Jobin explains they've completed most of the sewer replacement.

"They put in several new manholes and they have the waterline which will be done trenchless," continues Lequier-Jobin. "So, that's why you can see it kind of lying all on the side of the road where it's been all fused together. That will be put in trenchless all at one time. That's why they've got that long piece of pipe lying there."

She says they use a machine that threads the pipe into the ground from one end all the way to the other end, and then they dig smaller trenches to connect the services for all of the buildings along the street.

"They've been digging them along as they go, so they've done more than halfway to 8th St. W, having completed the sewer along that stretch," adds Lequier-Jobin.