And so it begins — use your time on the bridge to channel your inner patience

Bridge Cam image Sunday — calm before the storm.

North end traffic shortly after 10 a.m. Monday.

NEWS/ THE BRIDGE — Reconstruction work on the Overlanders Bridge got underway today (Monday) and so begins the inevitable frustration for commuters.

Work didn’t begin until after the morning rush hour but by mid-morning traffic was tight funnelling onto the north end of the bridge. The after-work rush promises to be an introduction to what’s in store for drivers over the next several months.

The City admits it will be “painful” but is making the best of it with social media — which it admits has limitations based on staffing hours.

One of the more innovative touches is the Bridge Cam that went online Friday. The camera views rotate about every half a minute between the south bridge exit, north end of the bridge, approaching traffic from West Victoria Street and the Summit Hill connector.

It can be accessed here.

“We support using Twitter, and more specifically the #kammute tag to share traffic reports,” says the City’s website. “For our part, we’ll post what reports we can.”

Starting today, the southbound curb lane and west sidewalk on Overlanders Bridge will be closed. The City is encouraging alternate modes of transportation during construction, such as carpooling, cycling, walking or taking the bus.

The project includes repairs and resurfacing of the bridge deck, reconstruction of the old, narrow west sidewalk and resurfacing of the north and south roadway approaches. Completion is targeted for late September.

If you want to avoid the construction work entirely, use the Red Bridge or the Yellowhead and Halston Bridges for your Kammute.

The North Shore BIA is encouraging North Shore residents to stay on their side of the river to “Stop, stay and play” during the bridge work.

Innovative Civil Constructors Inc. was awarded the rehab contract for $9.26 million. Contingencies and other costs bring the total for the project to $10.3 million.

If you feel yourself getting edgy in traffic, consider this advice from the City: “Being stuck in traffic is an opportunity to find a moment of peace in our busy lives. Slow down, stop to smell the flowers. Play a CD to learn a new language, or listen to those podcasts you’re behind on. Practice yoga breathing, be positive. This is your time, make the most of it.”