Pedestrian improvements at Bruce Ave. and Albion St. highlight an ongoing list of improvements across the city. (Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

road block

Pedestrian safety projects across Nanaimo face timing crunch

Sep 12, 2022 | 5:29 AM

NANAIMO — While nearly 20 local road safety enhancement projects are done, the City of Nanaimo’s transportation manager concedes finishing the remaining work this year may not materialize.

Jamie Rose said the big problem is a tight market for contractors which is pushing back their pedestrian and accessibility improvement project completion dates.

Headlining the list of road improvements intended to be done before the calendar flips to 2023 is a roundabout for a despised Mary Ellen Drive intersection.

“I know it’s one the community is really eager to see, we’re doing everything we can to move it forward, but we also have demands on resources that we’ll have to manage,” Rose said.

In June City councillors endorsed installing a roundabout between the high traffic Woodgrove Crossing and Woodrgove Centre shopping centre.

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At the time staff anticipated construction would take place this fall before unfavourable weather hits.

Rose said a new sidewalk on Departure Bay Rd. behind the south end of Brooks Landing and a nearby buffered bike lane on the hill leading to Departure Bay Beach may also not be done this year.

List of pedestrian enhancement projects scheduled to take place in Nanaimo this year. The projects labelled in red may not go ahead this year as originally planned. (City of Nanaimo)

“We’re always trying to do a bit better, but overall I think we’ve had a lot of successes.”

Rose said their five summer construction projects are all nearing completion, including a raised crosswalk and pedestrian flashers on Bruce Ave. at Albion St.

Just down the street crews are nearly done enhancing Bruce Ave. at Sixth St. into a more pedestrian friendly crossing.

“The VIU, University Village area is growing and it’s really an area that supports a lot of walking and biking…hopefully we’re making it a lot more comfortable, a lot more desirable for people to walk in that area.”

While most of the projects are smaller scale, however Rose said contributing $1 million in each of the last two years as opposed to the prior amount of $300,000 for unallocated pedestrian improvements has made a difference.

“It’s really a great opportunity to get more done and to make big strides in supporting walking and mobility safety, but it also is a big challenge for us to be able to deliver these in a timely fashion just because of the sheer volume.”

Construction of a roundabout and narrowing of the intersection at Mary Ellen Dr. near Woodgrove Centre is the next high-profile update on the agenda. (Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes