There's light at the end of the bike path for North Nechako Road residents who have embarked on a 25-year campaign to increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists along that stretch.
On Monday night, city council unanimously approved shifting $755,000 in surplus road paving funds to help cover the costs of creating paved shoulders along the section of North Nechako in conjunction with this summer's paving between Rosia Road and Toombs Drive.
City staff had suggested adding five projects from the 2015 paving priority list to this year's schedule after money was freed up from successful independent and joint asphalt supply tenders with the province, according to a report from operations director Bill Gaal.
"We do have a safety issue," said Coun. Cameron Stolz, who proposed the shift. "This is actually the first critical piece of work that needs to be done and, if we fail to do it for this, then it becomes, by default, a failure to do it for the rest of the areas because it won't make sense to go back afterwards and dig up existing road works to be able to widen the roads to add bike lanes afterwards."
Prince George is bike-friendly city, and needs to live up to that, said Coun. Albert Koehler, though the city should be wary of the cost.
"But we cannot let it sit again for another quarter century. We have to do something," Koehler said. "This is actually a joke if don't say now we have to do something. We can't say 'oh, maybe the next council will do something.' We have to make a decision."
"It's about time and it couldn't happen on a better day," agreed Coun. Murry Krause, referring to the start of Bike to Work and School Week.
Earlier in the meeting, North Nechako residents Phil Mullins, Alice Smit and Kathleen Haines made their long-standing case for a path, which they began in 1990 with an 800 signature petition and group named WHAT. This time, they brought forward a petition with more than 1,300 signatures in support from not only the North Nechako Road area, but the entire city.
Preliminary estimates by McElhanney put the stretch of road between Foothills Boulevard and Rosia Road in at $681,000, if done in conjunction with city paving. The first stretch of road is in the $700,000 range, but work still has to be done to determine exactly how much it will cost to build up the road bed to achieve the extra 1.5 metres of paved shoulder on either side.
"I don't have a problem earmarking the $755,000 to North Nechako as long as it's not the beginning of a very much larger commitment," said Coun. Dave Wilbur.
Staff will return to council if the cost ends up being higher than anticipated, Gaal said. The operations department will be doing that determination and road bed work in house, he added, but may be able to incorporate the paving into the city's existing contract with Pittman Asphalt.
Following council's vote, Mullins said he was relieved that the community could put those years of worry behind them.
"[Council] indicated their support in the weeks preceding and they've done it and I'm very appreciative of that," he said.
The new infrastructure will serve a community that is growing with young families, said Mullins.
"The kids have to cross this busy, dangerous road just to go see their friends. This will be wonderful. It will also open up a huge corridor for cyclists, for tourists, for travel all the way from Cottonwood Island from downtown all the way to the river," Mullins said. "If they can get to North Nechako they can get to the mountain bike park, this will enable city transit to bring youth and kids out to Pidherny. It's fantastic - it will make a huge, huge difference."
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