This week, crews are repaving the sidewalk running along Third Avenue in front of the Prince George Native Friendship Centre.
The operation is the final road and sidewalk rehabilitation project scheduled for 2019 and the last of a variety of city projects around Prince George aimed at improving safety for motorists as well as pedestrians of all mobility levels.
In 2017, council voted to double the budget for sidewalk construction and rehabilitation from about $500,000 to $1 million per year.
In 2019, crews completed seven sidewalk rehabilitation projects of about 1.5km, including 325m of newly installed concrete sidewalk. The largest sidewalk rehabilitation operation of 2019 took place on the south side of Highland Drive, from Berwick to Glenngarry Road, while two new sidewalks were added to Second Avenue from Ospika to Quinn Street and on 22nd Avenue from Highway 97 to the entrance to CNC.
New and enhanced sidewalks have also been included as part of the parkade and Park House condominium developments next to City Hall. These include the rehabilitation and extension of the paved trail next to Connaught Hill from Patricia Boulevard, the widening of the sidewalk on the north side of Seventh Avenue across from City Hall, and the increased frontage of Veterans Plaza.
Recently, designs were completed to upgrade several more crosswalks to further improve safety. These include:
- 15th Avenue at Irwin Street
- 15th Avenue at Ewert Street
- 15th Avenue at Alward Street
- 5th Avenue at Stuart Drive
- Queensway at Connaught Drive
Construction on these projects is expected to begin in the spring of 2020.
Crosswalk improvements
- Pedestrian-activated crosswalk systems with flashing beacons at the St. Lawrence Avenue and Southridge Avenue and 20th Avenue and Oak Street crosswalks.
- A crosswalk at the Highland and Dundee Drive intersection.
- A countdown pedestrian signal at Queensway & 5th Avenue.
Road safety improvements
- The signalization of the Ospika Boulevard and 22nd Avenue intersection.
- A 30km/h speed limit and parking restriction on Pidherny Road.
- New advanced warning and chevron signs for road curves on Purdue Road E and on Old Summit Lake Road.
- A “30km/h while Children on Roadway” speed limit on Kelly Road N.
- Parking restrictions on Zral Road for Springwood Elementary to increase safety for students as they are dropped off.
- An additional accessible “handicapped parking” stall and wheelchair ramp next to the Central Interior Health Society at George Street and 4th Avenue.
- A wheelchair ramp at 20th Avenue & Oak Street.