A major project to upgrade underground infrastructure and re-work the surface level is getting underway Saturday, July 22. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

construction season

Construction beginning on major highway upgrades through downtown Nanaimo

Jul 24, 2023 | 5:42 AM

NANAIMO — Expect delays through the city’s downtown over the coming months.

Crews are starting work on improving underground infrastructure and other surface upgrades to Terminal Ave. between Commercial St. and Esplanade.

Traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction through the work site, which also doubles as Hwy. 1 through Nanaimo.

Storm sewer and watermain replacements headline the underground infrastructure work, while new sidewalks, bike lanes, street lighting and park layouts for both the Italian Fountain and Pioneer Square Park are also planned.

New traffic signals at the three lighted intersections will also be able to better communicate with each other, providing a smoother flow of traffic through the corridor.

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The scope of the project ranges largely from Esplanade to Commercial St., with plans for a City-owned stretch of land (highlighted in blue) still being discussed (City of Nanaimo)

In an outline of the work, the City said delays during peak times are to be expected, while “travel speeds will be lower in the construction zone and there will be some restrictions on turning from time to time.”

Crossings for pedestrians will be maintained at the Commercial St. and Esplanade traffic lights. Parking in the downtown is also likely to be relatively unaffected.

Work will be ongoing during weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with after-hours work done as required. Crews anticipate the work will be complete by spring 2024.

The project is costing a total of $7.3 million, with a mixture of City and provincial funding. Underground infrastructure replacement is making up a lion’s share of the cost, with changes to both parks totalling around $777,000.

As of June 2023, the province was committing roughly $1.2 million for the project to cover changes to the highway.

Upgrades to Terminal Ave. are seen as the trigger to many other projects ongoing in the community, including the development of Commercial St., the former Jean Burns building and A&B Sound, which are poised to re-shape the downtown core.

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