A downtown road project that's been on the books for years may be finally moving forward.
Tonight, city council will discuss the potential of converting Fourth Avenue into a two-way thoroughfare. According to a staff report, the work could feasibly be completed this summer.
The change was identified in a 2007 downtown transportation and parking study commissioned by the city. In the Opus Hamilton report, having one-way streets was identified as a concern for downtown merchants, as it "encourages drivers to 'speed through downtown', without time to consider the possibility of stopping at some downtown locations."
The consultants suggested providing a two-way system for Second and Fourth Avenues east of Brunswick Street.
Converting the roads was also identified in the 2009 list of recommendations of the Mayor's Task Force for a Better Downtown, which the city's current Downtown Partnership committee has used as a workplan.
In February 2011, council supported a transportation staff option to put together a plan to convert the two roads by using roundabouts at Fifth Avenue and Cassiar Street and Third Avenue and Vancouver Street.
According to a report to council from corporate services director Kathleen Soltis, only a change to Fourth Avenue is up for discussion right now and the switch would occur between Winnipeg and Queensway Streets.
The cost of making the change would be borne out of the budget to reintroduce pay parking downtown. An additional $400,000 - funded by a local area service reserve - is in this year's capital expenditure budget for the project.
"Before construction commences, administration will be meeting with Downtown Business Improvement Area representatives, with landowners and tenants of Fourth Avenue and adjoining side street premises, and will be communicating with the general public on the proposed changes," Soltis's report said.
The conversion work is expected to take one month to complete and could be done this summer, though a delay until next year is also possible.
