CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The City of Charlottetown is looking to spend more than $300,000 to make significant upgrades to two busy pedestrian intersections.
Council’s standing committee on public works agreed Wednesday to recommend a tender in the amount of $324,616 (plus tax) be awarded to Island Coastal Ltd.
If it receives the approval of the finance committee, and ultimately council on Aug. 10, upgrades will take place on Great George Street, from Euston Street to where it meets the pedestrian crosswalk at Fitzroy Street, and where pedestrians using the Confederation Trail cross Longworth Avenue near Bar1911.
Great George Street upgrade:
Longworth Avenue upgrade:
The project was publicly advertised and closed on July 10 with Island Coastal being the lone bidder. While it was originally approved in the capital budget back in February, it has to be vetted by finance and council again because the tender came in about $121,000 more than the city expected.
Coun. Mike Duffy, chairman of the public works committee, said the work came in over budget because the work involves upgrades to the overhead pedestrian signal lights on Great George Street.
“It has been recommended that we upgrade the overhead pedestrian crosswalk lighting," he said. “The new work there is not compatible with the old lights so they will take (the old lights), refurbish them, use them somewhere else and put new lights in that are compatible with that intersection."
Changes to Great George Street will also include narrowing the street. The work will see the curbing on the Jean Canfield Building side of the street, from Euston to Fitzroy, brought out towards the centre of the street. Duffy said parking spaces in front of the federal building will also be brought out.
“They want to narrow the street because it’s safer for pedestrians," Duffy said, referring to the crosswalk in front of the Atlantic Technology Centre where pedestrians have been struck by vehicles in the past.
As for the changes to Longworth Avenue, Duffy said it will involve flashing warning lights for pedestrians and a concrete island in the centre of the avenue to act as a traffic-calming device and a pedestrian refuge.
Duffy said the concrete island will be about five to six feet in length, with a break to allow pedestrians on the trail to cross Longworth Avenue, followed by another island of about five to six feet in length.
If the project receives approval by finance and council, the work is expected to start right away.
