Across the country, thousands of workers are mobilizing for construction on major pipeline projects. So, this week, the CEPA About Pipelines Blog looks at how construction contractors mitigate disruption for residents in communities near pipeline rights-of-way.
There’s no mistaking when a major pipeline construction project comes to town. If you run a local business near a pipeline construction site, this can have a positive impact thanks to the temporary influx of new business. If you’re a community resident going about day-to-day activities, however, it can seem overwhelming especially if you don’t know what to expect.
That’s why pipeline companies and construction contractors go to great lengths to minimize the potential disruption for community residents.
Although there’s a handful of specialized activities, such as tunnel boring or horizontal directional drilling (HDD), where construction can’t be stopped until it’s completed, construction work hours are tailored to respect community needs and meet local noise bylaws.
Some of the best practices used during construction to minimize noise and light impacts are:
Construction contractors typically have crews in place to maintain access roads during construction and to activate dust control measures when needed. Don’t be surprised to see workers spraying water onto dusty roads to control dust on dry windy days. Other steps taken to manage dust are:
The project develops traffic management plans to minimize disruptions to traffic and neighbours, including keeping construction traffic outside of the rush-hours. Traffic management usually involves:
Learn more about pipeline construction.