Heavy equipment is in place as construction work along Nanaimo's Third St. is expected to start this week and continue until next fall as they upgrade aging underground infrastructure and improve mobility for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

complete street

‘Make our streets safer:’ year-long construction project begins on Nanaimo’s Third St.

Nov 12, 2025 | 1:58 PM

NANAIMO — Major road construction is getting started along a busy city corridor to upgrade the underground infrastructure and additional surface work to improve conditions for all road users.

Starting this week, Nanaimo City workers will be setting up on Third St. between Watfield Ave and Milton St., with work expected to continue until at least the fall of 2026 in various stages.

City project engineer Annalisa Fipke said construction will start by upgrading older water, sanitary, and storm mains underground, providing the opportunity to make improvements on the surface as well.

“Particularly, this section of Third St., parts of it don’t have sidewalks and they definitly don’t have bike lanes, so we’re adding those new sidewalks as well as creating some important connections and crossings to make our streets safer and more comfortable for everyone, whether you’re walking, cycling, or driving.”

She said alternating single-lane road closures will be in place for the majority of the project, with the possibility of full road closures during construction next year, but only for short periods of time.

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A rendering of the future vision for Third St. (City of Nanaimo)

Surface upgrades include adding pedestrian signals and bike crossings at Howard Ave and Pine St., two crosswalks with flashes at Watfield Ave and Georgia Ave, raised crosswalks, and new raised sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides of Third St.

Underground work includes replacing aging watermains, sanitary sewers, and storm drains to ensure capacity for future growth.

Utility work will start on Fitzwilliam St. from Pine St. to Milton St. this fall, followed by the area between Watfield Ave. and Howard Ave., with work on Third St. itself spanning the length of the project.

Fipke said this project is an important connection from the Nanaimo Parkway into the downtown, building on Nanaimo’s active transportation network and ensuring everyone can commute safely to their destinations.

“It (Third St.) also has schools in the area, as well as VIU and the NDSS, so there’s a lot of kids and high schoolers that are walking this route and we’re excited to make it safer. We know construction brings disruptions, but it’s an important investment, and when it’s done, our street will be accessible, more attractive, and better connected to the rest of the city.”

She said the City appreciates everyone’s patience as work on the project gets underway, allow for a little extra travel time in the area, and follow the instructions of crews and signage.

More information on Third St. upgrades can be found here on the City’s website.

In May of 2023, a broken water main along Third St. between Howard Ave. and Bruce Ave. closed down the road and cut off water service for area residents for most of the day.

A rough timeline of the phases of construction along Third St., along with recommended alternate routes commuters can take to avoid delays. (City of Nanaimo)

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