By Ian Holmes

Major facelift finally done at high-crash Nanaimo intersection

Oct 19, 2018 | 11:59 AM

NANAIMO — After numerous delays and countless crashes, significant upgrades are finished at an intersection many Nanaimo motorists went out of their way to avoid.

City of Nanaimo construction projects manager Mike Strain said crews have completed “an overwhelming majority” of upgrade work where Northfield Rd., Boundary Ave. and the Island Hwy. meet.

Strain said early reviews show the new-look intersection is guiding traffic in a safer, more efficient manner.

“It’s much more organized traveling through the intersection,” Strain told NanaimoNewsNOW. “It’ll take a little bit of getting used to for drivers but certainly it will be a safer intersection to drive through.”

Strain said hand rails along the E&N Trail are being added, while rail related infrastructure work will be completed over the next two weeks to cap the project off.

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He said major traffic pattern changes motorists should take note of are the need for a green arrow to turn left from the highway onto Northfield Rd. He said motorists can no longer make a left-hand turn from Boundary Ave. onto Northfield.

Primary adjustments at the intersection are:

• Widened Island Hwy. for an acceleration/merge lane for southbound traffic exiting Northfield Rd.
• Northfield Rd. has been widened to allow for a left-turn bay onto Boundary Ave., which also increases traffic flow going up Northfield and is also designed to improve pedestrian safety.
• Vehicles on Northfield Rd. approaching the highway will have dedicated left and right-turn lanes.
• New traffic light at the intersection of Northfield Rd. and Boundary Ave.
• Pedestrian and cyclist safety improvements at both affected intersections, including a new pedestrian rail crossing between Boundary Ave. and the E&N Trail.
• Upgraded pedestrian underpass beneath the Island Hwy.

City Council previously deferred addressing the intersection on multiple occasions. Council at last approved the project in May 2017 following lengthy debate, however the City acknowledged construction would be delayed due to staff shortages.

Crews began fixing the much-maligned intersection in February 2018.

Strain said the project is within the $4.1 million budget, which is split between the City and province.

Overhauling the intersection was originally pegged at $3 million when councillors signed off on it in the spring of 2017.

Strain said the need to address the troublesome Northfield/Boundary/Island Hwy. intersection was first identified in 2009.

“The initial concept was developed in 2011 and the construction was originally planned in 2014,” Strain said. “We’ve faced a few challenges along the way, but here we are in 2018 getting it done.”

Strain said an added complexity to the intersection is the presence of the railway through it. He said required upgrades for freight trains are complete, while future improvements for passenger rail service would be done if that service were to be resurrected . 

ICBC data showed the Northfield and Island Hwy. intersection saw 259 crashes between 2011 and 2015, the seventh most crashes at a Vancouver Island intersection during that time.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes