John Pothier hasn’t slept well in days because the City of Surrey has determined crews must cut up the road in front of his home throughout the night.
He says because of that plan, he hasn’t slept in days.
Pothier, who works as a plumber by day, is mystified why the city didn’t decide to do the work during the day and detour traffic on 160 Street, near 99 Avenue.
“Something like that is totally unacceptable,” Pothier said Thursday. “Why can’t they do this in the daytime? Am I supposed to listen to this through the night for the next eight days?”
Fraser Smith, Surrey’s General Manager of Engineering, said Thursday the evening work became necessary because the city is laying in 22 new water main connections across 160 Street near 99 Avenue between Aug. 4 and 12.
Crews are cutting into the road, digging down a metre, and laying down a single piece of pipe. They are able to install four pipes a night.
It’s extremely noisy work.
But to conduct work in the daytime would mean detouring traffic and cutting off water to local homes needing the new water connection.
Smith agrees it’s a less than perfect situation.
“We believed it was the lesser of two evils,” Smith said. “I apologize for that. I wish there was something we could do.”
He noted the contractor likely won’t be happy putting in night shifts either, as that usually ends up meaning higher labour costs.
Pothier said Friday he was able to get about five hours sleep, but he’s just beat from the relentless noise.
He says he’s not one to complain.
“But this is ridiculous,” he said.