Harboring concerns about vehicles cutting-through the neighbourhood, Old Orchard resident Alana Check feels Third Avenue has become a main artery for traffic approaching from the Condensory Bridge and from Cliffe Avenue, from which First and Second street exits are blocked.
“We sometimes feel we’re on Highway 3,” she said Monday at Courtenay council.
Check asked the City to post a Local Traffic Only sign, and to erect stop signs at Third and England.
Other residents have expressed concern that a renewal project at Third would only replace the sidewalk on the south side of the street.
In a 4-2 vote, council directed staff to modify the design to include a sidewalk on both sides of Third between Duncan and England avenues. The additional cost is about $30,000. Mayor Larry Jangula and Coun. Erik Eriksson were opposed. They had favoured an option to complete the design without the sidewalk on the north side of Third, but the rest of council opposed the recommendation.
The retrofit project will cost about $1 million. Underground utilities will be replaced in both blocks.