Answers

1. What is the 6th Street Active Transportation Bridge Project?

   The 6th Street Active Transportation Bridge will be a 4-metre-wide symmetrical cable-stayed bridge that will provide a river crossing for those who travel on foot, by bike, or other active transportation methods.

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2. Why an Active Transportation Bridge?

   There is growing demand for increased access across the Courtenay River. An active transportation bridge will provide a comfortable and attractive option for people to connect to downtown, established and future cycling and pedestrian routes, and trail networks on both sides of the river. This will relieve pressure on other crossings and encourage more commuters to consider using active transportation methods.

   Several community plans reference the need to improve connectivity across the Courtenay River for multi-modal transportation:

   • Downtown Courtenay Playbook: A Partnership Action Plan
     The Downtown Courtenay Playbook was developed through significant consultation and collaboration with the community, including downtown businesses and other stakeholders. The playbook recommends improving connectivity to, along, and across the river, as one of the five strategic planning goals developed as a result of this plan. The Downtown Courtenay Playbook was adopted by Council in 2016.
      
   • City of Courtenay Parks and Recreation Master Plan
     The Parks and Recreation Master Plan, adopted in September 2019, notes the challenge of current river crossings for pedestrians, and recommended 6th Street for a new pedestrian crossing to provide a more direct recreational connection between downtown and Simms Millennium Park. 
      
   • Connecting Courtenay: Cycling Network Plan and Draft Transportation Master Plan
     The Cycling Network Plan adopted by Council in February 2019 notes the current lack of comfortable river crossings for cyclists, and identifies 6th Street an option. The Transportation Master Plan adopted in September 2019 also highlights the opportunity for new and improved river crossings for pedestrians and cyclists, noting that “without a more cycling-friendly river crossing option, cycling is less likely to be an attractive option for trips that involve crossing the river.”  
     
     

   Walking and cycling currently represent 12% of all trips in Courtenay. Courtenay’s current Official Community Plan and the draft Official Community Plan released in early 2022 provide targets to increase the percentage of trips by walking, cycling and transit. This aligns with the City’s goals to reduce GHG emissions. That means transportation investments must be directed toward sustainable modes of travel.

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3. Why a bridge at 6th Street?

   The 6th Street Bridge will create a connection across the river using an existing road right-of way to pathways on the west side of the river (including the Courtenay Riverway and designated bike boulevard/neighbourhood bikeway on 6th Street, identified in the cycling network plan) and those on the east side of the river including in Simms Millennium Park, and to the Lewis Centre. The central location is steps away from downtown Courtenay.

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4. Why was the bridge design selected?

   Four bridge alternatives were considered in a detailed options analysis. Multiple criteria were evaluated, including considerations for constructability, environmental impact, user experience and aesthetics. The cable-stayed bridge design was selected by Courtenay Council as the preferred option because:

   • During construction, the staging area will have a smaller footprint by using a modular construction method which will allow for smaller equipment and bridge components, requiring fewer trees to be removed.  
   • Cable-stayed bridges are inherently efficient structures, which translates to less materials used.
   • Spanning over the river eliminates need to construct any piers in the water.
   • The cable stayed bridge allows for flatter approach grades to improve the user experience.
   • It has a high aesthetic appeal and minimal available area for graffiti. 

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5. How much will this cost?

   The current estimated project cost for the 6th Street Bridge is $6.9 million. Canada’s Active Transportation Fund is providing $2.5 million in funding for the project. $1 million in funding for the project will come from the $7.65 milllion the City of Courtenay received from the Provincial Government’s Growing Communities Fund. The City will continue to look for other grant opportunities to support the project. Remaining project costs would be covered through long-term borrowing and reserves.

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6. When will it be built?

   The next steps are to finalize a construction tender package, and release the tender in 2024. The City plans to award the construction contract by the end of 2024, but on-site construction may not begin right away. The chosen contractor will need to order materials and begin fabricating components. Construction also needs to be scheduled around various environmental work windows. Grant funding guidelines require construction to be completed by January 2026.

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7. How will construction impact the area?

   While details of construction impacts will be confirmed once a contractor is chosen, there are some disruptions we already understand:

   • 6th Street: Traffic on 6th Street between Cliffe and Anderton avenues will be disrupted during construction. The City is committed to working with businesses in the area to ensure access is maintained for customers, staff, deliveries and more. 
   • Simms Millennium Park: There will be impacts in Simms Millennium Park, with limited access to parts of the park during construction of the bridge, trail connections and trail roundabout. This will require some vegetation removal, including the removal an estimated 13-16 trees with diameter greater than 15 cm (majority Black Cottonwood and Red Alder) for the bridge footprint and the safety of people constructing, and then using, the bridge.

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8. How was the bridge width chosen?

   BC Active Transportation Guidelines provide direction of path sizes required based on use. In 2019, user volume in the area was measured and indicated a minimum 3.5-metre path was required based on those guidelines. The 4-metre width was proposed on the assumption that user volumes would grow in the future.  For comparison, several multi-user trails in the Lower Mainland, including the Central Valley Greenway in Burnaby, BC, and the North Shore Spirit Trail in North Vancouver, BC, have 4-metre-wide bridges along their routes.

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9. How can the community stay informed?

   The City will keep the community informed as the project progresses. Residents are invited to watch for updates at courtenay.ca/sixthstreetbridge and follow the City of Courtenay on social media. 

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