BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)
Chatham

Constructors Excited To Drive Parkway (Video)

With the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Pkwy. set to open this weekend, the Heavy Construction Association of Windsor is looking back on the job its done.

Executive Director Jim Lyons says it's going to be amazing to drive on after nearly five years of hard work -- a feeling which he'll share with about 12,000 people that the project employed. "I always look at it man-hour-wise, and there were definitely millions and millions of man hours. All of the unions who built the thing set records during their construction seasons. It's the biggest civil undertaking this community has ever seen."

Lyons says many of the people employed by the parkway project could end up working on the bridge, as some skills will transfer over.

As this was the first big civil job under the province's Alternative Financial Procurement Method, Lyons admits there were hiccups along the way which he is now part of a committee to fix. One of the major hiccups being delayed payments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eSBPVkJpfI

BlackburnNews.com file photo of a pedestrian bridge along the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of a pedestrian bridge along the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

Garfield Dales with the Ministry of Transportation on the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)Garfield Dales with the Ministry of Transportation on the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

Emergency crews familiarize themselves with the Herb Gray Parkway before it opens to the public, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)Emergency crews familiarize themselves with the Herb Gray Parkway before it opens to the public, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

One of five pumping stations along the Herb Gray Parkway to help prevent the below grade highway from flooding. (Photo by Jason Viau)One of five pumping stations along the Herb Gray Parkway to help prevent the below grade highway from flooding. (Photo by Jason Viau)

Tunnel lighting on the Herb Gray Parkway changes to mimic the light outside, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)Tunnel lighting on the Herb Gray Parkway changes to mimic the light outside, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

Part of the Herb Gray Parkway, which is also Hwy. 401, drops down to 60 km/h from 100 km/h as the roadway heads towards the city. (Photo by Jason Viau)Part of the Herb Gray Parkway, which is also Hwy. 401, drops down to 60 km/h from 100 km/h as the roadway heads towards the city. (Photo by Jason Viau)

BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

BlackburnNews.com file photo of Michael Hatchell, project director for the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of Michael Hatchell, project director for the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of the Herb Gray Parkway, June 25, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)

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