George Street work to ease traffic congestion could begin in May
A traffic-clogged section of George St. that the city has long wanted to redesign and repave will likely go under construction in May and be done by August.
The stretch of roadway will also be longer than originally planned: on Monday at City Hall, councillors voted to expand the project (at an increased cost).
Last year, the city planned to improve George St. between Lake St. and Hunter St. The plan includes cycling lanes, left turn lanes, traffic signals at Dalhousie St., a landscaped median, two pedestrian refuge islands, street trees and fresh pavement.
A contract was awarded to local firm Coco Paving. The cost was expected to be $1,982,201 (excluding HST).
But on Monday at City Hall, councillors voted to expand the repaving of George St. from Lake St. to Townsend St.
A city staff report recommended it since the road is in rough shape, and the best time to repave would be either this year or next.
The additional paving will cost an additional $205,000 - which will bring the total cost of the project, with HST, to $2,471,537.
Councillors voted to go ahead with this plan in a general committee meeting on Monday. There was no discussion; it was approved on consent.
The plan needs a final vote before city council to go forward.
City council decided to end Monday’s meeting with items still on the agenda.
Earlier presentations, including Paul Hickey’s detailed tour through BrandHealth’s Outside the Ordinary branding, took longer than expected, so council called the meeting just after 10 p.m.
The Parkway presentation was expected to offer council a look at alternatives to the current plan, which stalled after the province ordered a more detailed environmental assessment.
Council was also expected to receive a report on the $105-million sale of PDI to Hydro One, which fell apart after more than a year of negotiations.
The reports that weren’t heard will be added to a future agenda. Council next meets April 9 as council and as general committee on April 16.