A nearly $5-million upgrade to a section of Cook Street in Saanich will close the busy road to general traffic, starting early next week until May 2015.
“The road will be upgraded with wider sidewalks and bike lanes,” said Ivan Leung, from the District of Saanich transportation department.
Summer is a busy time for road construction and traffic delays, like the water main replacement at Cedar Hill Road and McKenzie Avenue this week that had vehicles backed up all day Tuesday.
Next week, Cook Street will be closed to general traffic from Maplewood Avenue to Quadra Street. Residents will be able to use the road, as will patrons of the local businesses, which include a medical clinic, Bank of Montreal and Thrifty Foods.
“Typically, with road projects like this, there is traffic control and local access,” said Leung, who noted nearby Cloverdale Elementary School will also be accessible.
Leung said the project will go beyond new asphalt and improving the esthetic of the street. The sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides will make it more user-friendly, and underground infrastructure, including a water main, will also be installed.
Brunnell Construction was awarded the $4.8-million project and will manage traffic in the area.
“We expect drivers and commuters to take different routes,” Leung said.
Victoria is also upgrading a connecting section of Cook Street, at Finlayson Street, to extend bike lanes. There will be some lane reductions from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The city has several other road projects underway, as is typical at this time of year, including repaving the Quadra Street and Tolmie Avenue intersection and increasing accessibility to sidewalks, safety upgrades to Catherine Street at Bay and Dundas that are partially funded by ICBC, upgrades to the Princess Avenue crosswalk and repaving of Cook Street from Caledonia to Queens Avenue, and a new intersection at Harbour and Esquimalt, while the Johnson Street bridge is being built. All projects include lane reductions and wrap up in mid-September or early October.
