Cyclists, pedestrians and others can look forward to a Courtenay River crossing free from motor vehicle traffic, now that funding for an active-transportation bridge has been finalized.
Construction is expected to start next year and is scheduled to be finished in early 2026, although tenders have not yet gone out, Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells said.
The city will work with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Ministry of Environment to ensure the river is protected while construction is underway, he said.
The new four-metre-wide bridge will provide a connection to Simms Millennium Park and trails on both sides of the river.
The 6th Street pedestrian bridge — a block from the busy 5th Street bridge in the middle of Courtenay — will be funded with $3.38 million from the City of Courtenay, $2.5 million from the federal Active Transportation Fund and $1 million from the province’s Growing Communities Fund.
“The City of Courtenay has been working on plans for an active-transportation bridge on 6th Street for many years, so this major funding is incredible news,” Wells said. “We are so grateful for this federal and provincial funding, and we also recognize the advocacy for this crossing by community groups over the past two decades.”
Wells said an active-transportation bridge has long been seen as a measure “that would help activate the downtown and make it more vibrant.”
Using cantilevers to create a pathway for pedestrians and cyclists along the 5th Street bridge was considered as an alternative, but it turned out to be more expensive than building a separate structure, Wells said.
The federal Active Transportation Fund, which began in 2021, is providing $400 million over five years to communities around the country for projects that promote healthy lifestyles, cut noise pollution and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
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