A stretch of the Trans Canada Hwy. in Chase River is in line to receive a sidewalk and some traffic flow adjustments after Nanaimo Council narrowly approved funding for the area. (Google Maps)

By Alex Rawnsley

pedestrian safety

Trans-Canada Hwy. upgrades and crosswalk safety highlight latest round of Nanaimo City spending

Jun 13, 2022 | 4:29 PM

NANAIMO — Upgrades designed to enhance the pedestrian experience at a number of key hot spots throughout Nanaimo are being given the green light.

A staff recommendation for sidewalk and traffic flow improvements along the Trans Canada Hwy. in Chase River, five crosswalks throughout Nanaimo and a sidewalk along a small section of Departure Bay Rd. narrowly made it through Council’s governance and priorities meeting on Monday, June 13.

Coun. Ian Thorpe summed up a discussion which spanned over an hour on how to spend $1 million in pedestrian unallocated funds, with options presented causing some concern over how money is being spent.

“I don’t totally agree with everything in this option, but I do support the expertise of staff as I usually do in these matters. Yes, some of these don’t totally relate to pedestrian safety but I think they all relate in some way to pedestrian safety and I think they are worth doing.”

The pedestrian unallocated fund is an annual amount of money set aside by Council to invest in road infrastructure projects to enhance pedestrian safety.

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Up until 2021, roughly $300,000 was devoted to it in the City budget annually, however Council upped it to $1 million in both 2021 and 2022.

Trans Canada Hwy. Upgrades
The makeup of the Trans Canada Hwy. corridor project drew the most skepticism from councillors.

City staff proposed spending $350,000 on a project, shared by the provincial ministry of transportation and infrastructure who would contribute roughly $200,000 of their own funding.

Six main improvements would be made to the highway between Maki Rd. and Cranberry Rd., including a sidewalk on the western side linking Cranberry Rd. to Southgate Shopping Centre.

The project would also see improved signal timing at the Maki Rd/Tenth Ave. and Cranberry Rd intersections as well as changes to the left hand turn lanes on the highway itself.

The City’s share would cover engineering design fees for the project and the stretch of sidewalk.

An outline of upgrades approved for Chase River, better connecting the Extension Rd. area with Southgate Shopping Centre. (City of Nanaimo)

Coun. Sheryl Armstrong supported the idea wholeheartedly, calling the area “under serviced” for pedestrians.

“I know that kids don’t want to walk, nobody wants to walk there because of the dangers. It’s one of our highest accident areas in the whole city. I think we haven’t spent much money on any pedestrian improvements out there, so for me this is a strong priority.”

Other councillors were less energetic about funding the project.

Most all agreed the area needed some improvements, but many took exception to using funds designed to get pedestrian projects going, to pay in part for provincial vehicle flow changes.

“We’ve got a whole bunch of other pools and minimum funding for very laser focused pedestrian improvements” coun. Tyler Brown said. “The intention of these funds is to improve (pedestrian infrastructure). This really misses the mark in my mind, it could go a lot further in other places for its true intention.”

Coun. Erin Hemmens also shared concerns about allocating pedestrian funds to a vehicle-centric upgrade and suggested changes to Extension Rd. would help solve a lot of the areas issues.

An amendment from coun. Don Bonner to instead fund the project from strategic reserves was voted down 8-1.

Crosswalk Safety
Less contentious discussions arose from intended upgrades to five crosswalks throughout the city at a cost of $400,000

A combination of flashing beacons, medians and bump outs along the side of a road to narrow the crossing are projected for Departure Bay Rd. at Barons Rd., FItzwilliam St. at Selby St., Franklyn St. at Selby St., Townsite Rd. at Holly Ave. and Applecross Rd. at Calinda St.

City staff used an algorithm-generated points system to determine which areas to prioritize, taking into account factors such as vehicle speeds, proximity to transit and schools as well as volumes of pedestrians using the area.

Two crosswalks on Third St., near the Aquatic and Ice Centres, as well as one further west, were not funded but rather eyed for capital investment in the future. (Google Maps)

Three other sites will be eyed for capital upgrades, including a pair of crosswalks on Third St. near the Nanaimo Aquatic and Ice Centres.

Barbara Thomas, assistant manager of transportation for the City, told councillors both signals are nearing the end of their functional lives and the area would be well served by better signals.

“These two have been refurbished, so bits and pieces have been replaced while I’ve been working here. Things have been fixed and jerry-rigged together and held together, rewired and fixed.”

The upgraded signals would also have the capability to ‘talk’ with the intersection at Hwy. 19 and Jingle Pot Rd. to better manage traffic flow off the highway and into the city.

Sidewalks
Just one sidewalk project was approved in the 2022 expenditure from the fund, a roughly 50 metre curved stretch on Highland Blvd. connecting sidewalks at Brooks Landing to Hwy. 19A behind the Co-Op gas station.

It’s estimated to cost $85,000.

Two other projects weren’t funded, including a $240,000 sidewalk on the east side of Third St. between the Rotary Field House and Jingle Pot Rd., as well as the south side of Departure Bay Rd. in front of Departure Bay Elementary School estimated at $450,000.

A single stretch of sidewalk was approved for the 2022 pedestrian unallocated budget, linking crosswalks at Brooks Landing with one at the nearby Hwy. 19A intersection. (Google Maps)

Funds remaining
A final amount of $165,000 left over was allocated to traffic calming projects already underway on Lost Lake Rd., Georgia Ave. and along Departure Bay beach.

The money will be spent on further implementing and adding to traffic calming plans which have had varying degrees of success in reducing vehicle speeds through popular corridors.

Concrete medians on Lost Lake Rd. showed the greatest level of reduction for the stretch of road which has long been a trouble spot, while a pilot project which began in 2019 to curb speeds along Departure Bay Rd. by the beach is set to continue with an adjustment to how data is collected.

Initial feedback on the Departure Bay project suggests residents want speed humps along the road, however additional study will chart a path forward.

A project which was initially pitched by City staff to pilot speed limit reductions in certain Nanaimo neighbourhoods did not make the final list after a lukewarm response by councillors in April.

The vote
Council ultimately voted 5-4 in favour of the staff recommendation with councillors Sheryl Armstrong, Zeni Maartman, Ian Thorpe, Jim Turley and Mayor Leonard Krog all voting in favour.

Councillors Tyler Brown, Ben Geselbracht, Don Bonner and Erin Hemmens all opposed, with the main objections related to the plans for the Trans Canada Hwy. through Chase River.

Monday’s vote will send the matter to Council for a final vote, likely through the consent agenda to be fast-tracked toward approval.

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