A painted bike lane and improved sidewalk highlight street-level improvements to Fourth St. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Latest piece of downtown Nanaimo-VIU active transportation link established

Jul 28, 2022 | 7:05 AM

NANAIMO — Upgrades are substantially complete to the City’s latest piece of their active transportation puzzle.

Replacement of underground storm sewer and water main on Fourth St., between Harewood Rd. and Pine St., opened up an opportunity to further a bike and pedestrian-friendly link between Vancouver Island University and downtown Nanaimo.

Phil Stewart, City manager of engineering projects, told NanaimoNewsNOW the new road surface is open and links existing, older connections on the north of the project zone.

“Between Harewood Rd. and Wakesiah Ave., there’s an on-street bike lane and a sidewalk on the one side and a paved walking shoulder on the other side, that was done several years ago. We were connecting to that then the future pieces to the puzzle are being constructed to today’s standard.”

Included in the work on Fourth St. was readjusting how the road was laid out to included a painted bike lane, as well as restoring the sidewalk to more modern standards, including tactile strips at crossings for visually impaired people.

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Some minor landscaping work needs to be completed, however City crews will hold off on planting trees and grass until the weather is more suitable.

The work, phase one of two, is seen as another artery to offer easier movement for cyclists and pedestrians through Nanaimo’s population hubs.

Phase two of work in the region will see similar upgrades to the bending portion of Alberni St. up to Milton St. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

“The plan is the next phase takes it up to Milton St., through the S-curve which is that challenging section where it climbs the grade up to the four way stop at Milton St.,” Stewart added.

Phase two will go out to the construction market for bids in early 2023 with construction eyed in the summer.

From there, planners and City Councillors will have options to either follow existing sidewalks on Albert St. to the downtown, or veer onto other downtown feeder streets including Fitzwilliam St.

The downtown-VIU link will ultimately connect to all parts of the downtown, including active transportation routes on Front St., the waterfront walkway and the E&N Trail which opens up connections to the rest of Nanaimo.

Aside from phase two of the Fourth St./Albert St. updates, the next priorities include continued work on the Midtown Gateway project, which has an active transportation component, as well as adding traffic signals to the Bruce Ave. and Fifth St. intersection which is currently a four-way stop.

Enhanced crossing areas and sidewalk infrastructure were included in the build, after replacement of sewer and water mains were done underneath. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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