A rendering of Metral Dr. featuring new, dedicated bike lanes, protected sidewalks and landscaping. The three kilometre project is budgeted to cost $11.3 million. (City of Nanaimo)

By Alex Rawnsley

Road rehab

Extensive Metral Dr. overhaul to begin soon, Bowen Rd. facelift nears completion

Aug 20, 2020 | 5:21 AM

NANAIMO — Upgrades to Metral Dr. are set to impact traffic in the short-term, but drastically improve transportation through the city long-term.

An $11.3 million upgrade to Metral Dr. between Aulds Rd. and Mostar Rd. begins after the September long weekend. Phase one will see crews focus on the southern half of the three kilometre stretch, between Turner Rd. and Mostar Rd.

Included are infrastructure upgrades to the road surface, water main and storm sewer, along with raised cycle lanes and raised crosswalks as proposed by newly developed complete streets guidelines.

“Metral Drive was identified as an important corridor that we were going to test out and apply some of these newer standards that prioritized pedestrians and vulnerable users along the corridor,” Annalisa Fipke, city project manager told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The project will better connect the north end of the city to the E&N trail, considered the backbone of cycling through Nanaimo.

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Metral Dr. between Turner Rd. and Mostar Rd. will be down to single lane alternating traffic through periods of the project.

Construction on phase one is expected to wrap by the end of June 2021.

Phase two of the project will complete upgrades to Metral Dr. between Aulds Rd. and Turner Rd. next year. The project is being funded in part by both the federal and provincial government.

Construction continues on Bowen Rd., between Hwy. 19A and Labieux Rd. with workers on site conducting various infrastructure upgrades.

“We’ve installed the water main on the full extent of the project, we’re now focusing on concrete work including the curb, sidewalk and curb ramps with tactile warning surface indicators,” Fipke said.

The project also has a focus on active transportation with better cycling facilities and separation from traffic for pedestrians included in the design.

By late September, Bowen Rd. is expected to be re-paved, with centre median installed and landscaping completed by early November.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley