Contractors working on behalf of the City of Courtenay are performing upgrades to a section of 17^th Street this year, with a focus on safety and accessibility for all road users on a key link in the transportation network.

The work starts in early May, and will include:

• Curb extensions at crosswalks to improve sightlines and shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians at Grieve and McPhee avenues
• Pedestrian activated flashing beacons at Grieve, and McPhee avenues to make pedestrians more visible to motorists
• Curb protected cycle tracks with parking between Fitzgerald Avenue and the Rotary Trail

The work will occur on weekdays, Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will be completed this summer.

The upgrades will connect with previous improvements on 17^th Street completed last fall, which included painted, parking-protected bike lanes between the Rotary Trail and Willemar Avenue, and pedestrian activated flashing beacons at Piercy and Tull avenues. This next phase of the project will link the Rotary Trail, the 5^th Street corridor, and the Fitzgerald bike lanes, increasing connectivity in Courtenay’s pedestrian and cycling network.

Access to the area will be maintained throughout the project, but expect single lane alternating traffic at times. Traffic control personnel will be on site to direct vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists within the work area.

Please note that limited street parking will be available along this section of 17th Street during the construction period.

The contractor will make every effort to minimize construction impacts as much as possible to area residents, businesses, and commuters.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during construction.

100 percent of eligible project costs will be funded through a $1.7 million grant from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream.

For more information on the project, visit www.courtenay.ca/17thStreetCorridor