The City of North Bay says an extensive, multi-year infrastructure project is improving pedestrian safety and transit accessibility for North Bay residents.
This construction season, work is underway or complete on Norman Avenue from Rancier Street to Dellandrea Drive; Georgian Road from Gertrude Street East to Prince Edward Drive; and, Prince Edward Drive from Georgian Road to Marshall Avenue East. The 2023 and planned 2024 work was combined this season.
Together, the Georgian Road and Prince Edward Drive work in West Ferris will see approximately one kilometre worth of sidewalks installed in an area known for its high traffic volume when the many nearby schools are in session. The same holds true for the Norman Avenue sidewalk, which also connects students to the new Maple View school. Each also provides safer access to transit stops.
In 2021 and 2022, work in Birchaven added new sidewalks.
The ICIP Sidewalk Program, with a total cost of almost $ 10 million — and funded by contributions from the federal, provincial, and municipal levels of government — began in 2021 and runs through 2026, and according to a City of North Bay staff report, will "benefit the neighbourhoods that do not have existing sidewalks available to offer safe and reliable travel for pedestrians to and from existing transit stops."
Current and upcoming ICIP Sidewalk Program zones:
2023
- Georgian Road from Gertrude Street East to Prince Edward Drive
- Prince Edward Drive from Georgian Road to Marshall Avenue East
- Norman Avenue from Rancier Street to Dellandrea Drive
2024
2025
- Wallace Road from Commerce Crescent to Lake Heights Road
2026
- Commerce Crescent from Seymour Street to Wallace Road
The following stretches of road previously had sidewalks installed:
2021
- Airport Road from the Kinsmen Trail access near the Davedi Club to Algonquin Avenue
- Lakeside Drive from Trout Lake Road to Sage Road
2022
- Lakeside Drive from Sage Road to Camelot Drive
Following complaints from the public and media coverage of safety concerns surrounding snowed-in transit stops in 2017, sidewalks were later installed on McKeown Avenue and Shirreff Avenue and this program has continued the expansion of essential infrastructure to many other underserved areas in North Bay.
The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) is a 10-year, $30-billion trilateral initiative that funds improvements to public transit; community, culture and recreation; green; and rural and northern community infrastructure.
The program provides for new sidewalks to be constructed on one side of the road in various locations throughout North Bay on existing transit routes. It also includes the installation of storm sewers, curb and gutter, restoration, and partial asphalt paving including granular road base.
The contract covers "professional engineering services for the design of sidewalks located throughout the City including, related construction assistance and inspection as required."
The agreement saw the preliminary and detailed design for all sections to be completed ahead of the project launch in 2021, thereby ensuring tender-ready contracts to be issued during the winter period prior to each construction season through 2026.