Council to consider $2M-plus in George St. upgrades
City council will be asked Monday night to approve a staff report calling for $2,197,000 in improvements to George St., an increase from the original $1,002,000 budget for the project.
The report from the utility services department will be considered as council meets as committee of the whole.
In the report, utility services director Wayne Jackson outlines where the additional funds can be found. This will involve moving funds from other projects, including new multi-use trails ($440,000), the emerald ash borer management plan ($31,000), transit shelter upgrades ($62,000), other road resurfacing projects ($250,000), traffic signal upgrades ($200,000) and others. Altogether, staff found $2,197,000 that can be moved to the George St. project and applied to elements similar to their original intent, the report states.
“An environmental assessment for the project was completed in 2015. The study looked at options to improve walking, cycling and driving while also improving the ambiance, recognizing this is the southern gateway to the downtown,” the report states. “The original concepts approved by council included cycling lanes, left turn lanes, traffic signals at Dalhousie St., a landscaped median and two pedestrian refuge islands. It also included new cycling lanes on George St. and Water St. between Hunter
St. and Sherbrooke Street which maintains parking on both sides of the street.”
Other upgrades were recommended during the 2017 detailed design phase, including tree planting, and a new crosswalk at Water St. just north of Sherbrooke St.
The project will involve new asphalt from Townsend to Sherbrooke and on Sherbrooke between George and Water; traffic signal upgrades at Rink St., tree planting and ash tree removal, new markings at downtown intersections, a sidewalk on the south side of Dalhousie, new pedestrian countdown signals, transit stop upgrades and a new pedestrian crossover.
The resurfacing will be handled by Coco Paving, the only bidder, at a cost of $1,982,201.17.
If approved, work will begin Aug. 14 and take 60 working days, wrapping up in the fall, the city states.
George St. will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with access to businesses and residences maintained.