Project Description

The New Westminster Front Street Pressure Sewer is a large, pressurized sewer pipe that accepts overflow from the recently-constructed Sapperton Pump Station, and discharges into the McNeely chamber at Columbia Street.

Due to concerns with the design rating of the pressure hatches on the Front Street Pressure Sewer, the Sapperton Pump Station operated below design pressure. As such, Metro Vancouver initiated a project to undertake an engineering review and subsequent construction of necessary upgrades to the existing hatches.

The project replaced nineteen hatches along the sewer. Work was carefully coordinated with the Columbia Street repair project and the Pattullo Bridge Replacement project to ensure safe operation of the sewer system, and to limit impacts to local businesses due to road closures.

Our Role

RAM provided overall project management services to Metro Vancouver for this project. Specific roles and responsibilities included:

• Providing overall project oversight and leadership to manage Metro Vancouver internal departments to achieve project success, including Operations and Maintenance, Community Relations, Procurement, Fabrication, Environmental, Indigenous Relations, Property Services, and Construction.
• Conducting kickoff meetings with all involved parties.
• Ordering special project materials as specified by engineering, and verifying that non-inventory materials were ordered correctly.
• Providing accurate cost and schedule estimates.
• Chairing and leading internal and external project meetings with project stakeholders.
• Coordinating site walkthroughs and all safety requirements to allow for pre-construction data collection activities.
• Coordinating with Canadian National Railway for work required in proximity to active rail lines;
• Hiring contractors through tender or sole-source process.
• Reviewing work procedures with the operations and construction supervisors.
• Reviewing and modifying cost estimates and budget.
• Monitoring and controlling overall costs.