Extensive underground infrastructure and road rehabilitation work is slated to begin this summer along Terminal Ave. in downtown Nanaimo, the first of many steps in the coming years to revitalize the area. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

road works

Terminal Ave., Albert St. & Bruce Ave. top City of Nanaimo priorities for summer construction season

May 15, 2023 | 6:02 AM

NANAIMO — Spurred on by the need to update underground infrastructure, City crews and contractors will be kept very busy with a number of road work projects in the coming months.

Significant redevelopments of both Terminal Ave. and Albert St., along with a reconfiguration of the Bruce Ave. at Fifth St. intersection headline work to be undertaken beginning in the coming weeks.

Bill Sims, City general manager of engineering and public works, told NanaimoNewsNOW construction and traffic implications will begin in early summer along Terminal Ave., between Esplanade and Commercial St. and extend into the winter months.

“[The project] will incorporate some redesign of the two parks, Pioneer Square and the Italian Square, then the boring stuff the underground utilities and resurfacing the roads and putting in sidewalks, separating the sidewalks as much as we can from the road and trying to create more of an urban feel.”

Renderings of the planned upgrades to Terminal Ave. in front of Port Place Shopping Centre. (City of Nanaimo)

bonus hockey

Plante plays OT hero as Clippers cap Caps in school day game

8h ago

serious fire

Occupant missing following severe south Nanaimo house fire

9h ago

severe storm

'It's a significant event:' Multi-day power outages expected in Nanaimo and across mid-Island

14h ago

A landscaped centre median along the roadway will be installed, and lanes will narrow slightly in some areas.

In February 2023, councillors upped their financial contribution to the project from $2.66 million to $3.81 million, which will combine with $1.2 million in provincial funding.

It’s the first step in a push to revitalize the area with Sims saying discussions have been ongoing for years.

“We’ve talked about rehabilitating the downtown and refreshing for quite a while and this is going to be the start of actually taking action, but to do that it’s the old classic: you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette.”

Work along Terminal Ave. will eventually tie in with projected redevelopment of Commercial St., and design work continuing on “The Hub”, Diana Krall Plaza and the Bastion St. intersection.

Phase two of upgrades to Fourth St./Albert St. begin in June with crews linking work completed last year. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

VIU Connector
Phase two of a project to better link Vancouver Island University with downtown Nanaimo is a few weeks away from starting.

By the end of June, crews are scheduled to be on scene along the S-bend of Albert St. between Pine St. and Kennedy St. The project is centred around underground work including culvert replacement and new water mains, but will extend active transportation routes.

It’ll join up with phase one of the project along Fourth St. which was completed last summer.

Sims said of the approximate $4.3 million cost for the project, $2.1 million is for underground infrastructure, while $1.2 million is budgeted for surface works including road replacement and street lighting.

The remainder is geared towards active transportation routes including bike lanes and sidewalks however the City received provincial and federal grant money to cover the amount.

“We always look critically at is it an active transportation route in accordance with our City Plan, and if so then we try and incorporate that work into the underground utilities so we’re building it back to a better standard that’s useable and accessible for all users,” Sims said.

Bruce Ave. and Fifth St. intersection is poised to be redone in 2023, changing the clunky four-way stop into a signalized area. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Harewood Traffic Flows
Set for a start in the fall, or closer to the end of the year, is a rework of a major Harewood intersection.

Bruce Ave. and Fifth St. will change from a four-way stop to a signalized intersection in a bid to relieve congestion in a rapidly growing area of the community.

“I know for the residents that one can’t come soon enough and it’ll help improve the traffic flow in that critical area in Harewood,” Sims added.

The project is poised to complement completed work to the north on Bruce Ave. last year, along with planned work to the south in 2024 and complete street upgrades along Fifth St., tentatively scheduled for 2028.

Work continues on the Midtown Water Supply project, currently focused along Northfield Rd. and the Nanaimo Parkway. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Major projects ongoing
Presently underway are two major projects around central Nanaimo, the Midtown Water Supply Project and the Midtown Gateway.

The water supply project is installing new water mains through a significant portion of the City, while the Gateway initiative will extend Boxwood Rd. and reconfigure traffic flows around Northfield Rd.

Work has focused around the Northfield Rd. and Beban Park area in recent months and will continue with another scheduled impact to travellers due shortly.

“In the next few weeks we’ll be disrupting Northfield Rd. and Boxwood Rd. to do a major pipe crossing there so that will be quite noticable and quite high profile as that’s one of our busiest arteries, but we’re trying to get out of the way before summer hits as well,” Sims said.

Following, a similar water main installation will need to occur on East Wellington Rd. between the Nanaimo Parkway and Bowen Rd.

Sims said work will mean “pretty frequent closures” along the popular path, but they will occur in the summer months as to not disrupt schools.

An animated, overhead look of a new planned parking lot at the primary entrance to Westwood Lake Park, compared to the current satellite view. (City of Nanaimo/Google Earth)

Also in progress, although not presenting a significant interruption to traffic, are parking lot upgrades to Westwood Lake.

Approximately 36 new parking stalls and a redesign of the upper lot will add capacity at the popular summer swimming spot.

Work should be complete before the busiest time in the summer, according to Sims.

Finally, City crews will be on site over the summer months along Departure Bay Rd., up the hill from the Hammond Bay Rd. intersection, installing a new sewer line.

Work will take place in the summer, after school ends for the year.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @NanaimoNewsNOW