Without any higher levels of government funding, the City of Thunder Bay is spending up to $20 million on roadwork this construction season.
Funded through the city tax and water and sewer rates, the city is already working on the rehabilitation of the James Street bridge on the Neebing River, the continuation of storm sewer construction and paving of Rosslyn Road and watermain repairs and resurfacing on Queen Street between Winnipeg Avenue and Ontario Street.
More projects will get underway after the May long weekend.
This year’s road paving program will see about $8 million worth of work completed and up to another $10 million in sidewalk, street lighting, sewer and watermain repairs, said project engineer Rick Harms.
“We have a number of streets where they are continuations of work we started last year,” Harms said, citing Shuniah, Balsam and Walsh Streets as well as Rosslyn Road as projects that will be finished this year.
“Most of our work is just going to be shorter blocked sections, but there are some arterial roads that will be affected,” he said. “We do have a project on Algoma Street between Pearl and Bay Street that will reduce lanes of traffic and some work in the downtown south core on Brodie Street that will impact the temporary transit terminal for a period of time.”
The additional entrances to Innova Park from Golf Links Road and the Harbour Expressway are scheduled to be completed this summer as the city prepares for the four-laning of Golf Links Road next year. Harms said the first section to be tackled is from the Harbour Expressway to Oliver Road.
Harms also stressed the importance of driving with caution through construction zones for the safety of you, other drivers and construction workers.
Temporary street closures:
Large sections of Water Street, Fort William Road and Simpson Street as well as May Street from Arthur to Donald Street will be closed May 23 from 8 a.m. to noon for the Firefighters’ 10 Mile Road Race.
Waverly Street from Red River Road to Banning Street will be closed June 3 from 6 p.m. to June 5 at 6 p.m. for the George Jeffrey Soap Box Races. Waverley from Banning to Algoma Street will be closed June 4 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and June 5 from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. for the races as well. The Seniors’ Rock Walk will see the west lane of Madeline Street from the Grandview Arena to the Thunder Bay 55 Plus Centre closed June 15 from 1:20 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
