VICTORIA STREET WEST – Work on improvements takes a short break

Work on the Victoria Street West Improvements Project will take a holiday break tomorrow (Dec. 20, 2019), the City said in an update today. Weather permitting, Extreme Excavating and crews will be back on site Jan. 6 to continue with landscaping and third-party utility work at various locations throughout the corridor.

Next spring and summer, landscaping work will be completed, utility change-overs will take place, hydro poles will be removed, remaining sidewalk panels will be installed, and any additional remaining work will be completed.

Reduced-speed signs of 30 km/h will be removed from the construction zone Dec. 20. Starting Jan. 6, temporary 30 km/hr speed signs will be installed only in active work zones along the corridor.

The crosswalk at the west end of the corridor in front of Sun Life Financial will be temporarily closed for the winter as of tomorrow, and it will reopen next spring once the crosswalk lights have been installed. With four lanes of traffic in that area, there is a safety concern that motorists will not see or stop for pedestrians without the crosswalk light in place.

The crosswalk near The Mustard Seed will remain open. Both the north and south sidewalks throughout the corridor are fully accessible to pedestrians. Permanent bus stops are in place near National Car Rental/Spoke N’ Motion (outbound) and near Budget Brake and Muffler (inbound).

“We want to thank the Victoria Street West business owners and residents who have lived through months of construction and the many motorists, pedestrians, and transit users who have travelled through the corridor daily for their patience throughout this project,” said Darren Crundwell, the City’s capital projects manager.

“We know it’s been a long haul for these folks. Next year should be less impactful as work will primarily be focused outside of the roadway and driveways.”