$1.3-million road upgrade will serve condo towers
January 24th, 2008 - Category: Condo, Real EstateRoad access to a pair of planned condo towers next to the Pearson Bridge will move forward after the city of Nanaimo received a $790,000 grant from upper levels of government on Tuesday.
The $1.3-million road upgrade will close the existing access to Maffeo-Sutton Park and create a new intersection at Cliff Street.
Cliff Street will also be extended.
The project was deemed necessary to deal with increased traffic flows in the area expected as a result of Suro Development’s two towers near the former Foundry/Civic Arena site, as well as other residential projects being built nearby on Front Street.
Mayor Gary Korpan, Nanaimo-Parksville MLA Ron Cantelon and Nanaimo-Alberni MP James Lunney unveiled the road design in a press conference at City Hall on Tuesday.
Korpan said the changes will allow safer passage into downtown and that it was “pure luck” more people haven’t been in car accidents at the busy corner of Terminal and Comox Roads.
“The safety improvements should be magnified,” he said.
The money comes from the Canada-B.C. Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund. The city has yet to hear about its application under the infrastructure grant program that would see sewers go into the Green Lake area.
In his address to city officials, Cantelon said both the province and the federal government recognize cities can not take on the full burden associated with infrastructure upgrades.
Tuesday’s announcement will not lower city taxes, as city officials had budgeted to receive at least two-thirds of the $1.3-million cost, said finance director Brian Clemens.
Drivers should expect some delays at the Comox Road and Terminal Road intersection when work begins in two weeks. The project is expected to be complete in May.
