THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay residents will have the chance to offer input Wednesday on plans to redesign streets in the city’s north core.
A City of Thunder Bay pop-up booth will collect feedback from residents and offer information on the North Core Streetscapes project, which is set to calm traffic and trim parking in the downtown, making more room for pedestrians, patios, and events.
The city’s project team will be on hand from noon to 4 p.m. at the corner of Cumberland Street North and Red River Road to display design ideas, discuss the project, and collect written feedback.
The city is also currently collecting feedback through its Get Involved website, via a broad online survey.
The public got a glimpse in April of plans for a bold redesign of the north core, with consultants sketching a vision of more walkable streets and a new connection to the waterfront via Red River Road.
In a draft plan presented by consultants, Red River Road, Cumberland Street, and Water Street would each be reduced from four to two lanes in the downtown. Park Avenue and Van Norman Street would change to one-way streets, adding angled parking along with other nearby side streets.
The work will be conducted in 2022-2023 as the city replaces aging water and sewer mains in the area. The plans still require city council approval.
Details of the redesign will be influenced by pilot projects being run over the summer that include pop-up patios and traffic calming measures, like the recent conversion of a short stretch of Cumberland to a one-way street.
