The City hopes one or two active transportation projects could receive up to $500,000 in provincial funding. (file photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

grants

City applies for provincial funding to boost either Metral Dr. or Albert St. projects

Jul 13, 2021 | 5:32 AM

NANAIMO — It’s hoped the province can pitch in on two active transportation projects in Nanaimo.

Councillors on Monday, July 12 unanimously approved applying for two Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants worth up to $500,000 per grant.

The first is phase 2 of the Metral Complete Street Corridor project which significantly redesigned the street.

More than $3 million of the nearly $7 million budget for the project is set for active transportation, which includes sidewalks and bike lanes.

The second grant is for the VIU Bike Route, specifically phase four of the project stretching along Albert St. from Dunsmuir St. to Pine St.

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Jamie Rose, manager of transportation, said this is one of the busiest cycling routes in the City.

The project is currently budgeted at $1.2 million and is scheduled to begin next year. Rose said design details are currently being finalized.

Bill Sims, general manager of engineering and public works, told councillors while they’ve had some recent bad luck with grant applications, he believed one or both of the current applications would be approved.

“There’s been a number of applications which have gone forward this year but the active transportation ones have been successful in past years. We understand the province is committing a great deal more funding to active transportation this year than it has in the past.”

Two other projects, phase three of the VIU Bike Route and adding sidewalk to Haliburton St., qualified for a grant application but didn’t go ahead.

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