The City of Parksville is hosting an open house on the major work that will be done to the short but crucial McMillan Street in the next year.
Business owners and concerned residents are encouraged to attend the open house next Wednesday evening to see the plans for the road upgrades, potential traffic impacts and detours.
There will not be a formal presentation, but city and Windley Contracting staff will be available to answer questions and address concerns during the information session from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre, 132 Jensen Avenue East, beside city hall.
They anticipate work will begin mid-August and will present a more detailed schedule and traffic management plan.
City engineering technologist Fred Pakkala said they are still waiting on some details from the contractor and aren’t sure if the paving will be completed before the weather gets too cold and the asphalt plant shuts down, usually around November.
“In this project they will probably get the bulk of the work done over the winter, leaving the final paving until when the weather co-operates,” he said by e-mail.
Although the contractor has one year to complete the work, the city expects it will be complete by next May.
The city recognizes McMillan as a key section of city road and will do what they can to minimize disruptions during the extensive work, which involves complete reconstruction, widening and upgrading of 300 metres from Highway 19A, south up the hill through the Hirst Avenue intersection.
The work includes safety improvements for vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians, as well as aesthetic enhancements such as streetscape amenities and putting utility lines underground.
The new road will include two pedestrian signals, wide sidewalks, bike lanes, decorative street lights, trees and a new traffic signal at Hirst Avenue, which as a pilot project, will use energy-efficient LED lights.
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