After more than a year of traffic delays on one of Port Coquitlam's major connectors, the Broadway Street reconstruction project is approaching completion.
Installation of traffic lights at Langan, Cameron and Industrial avenues is expected to be completed early next week and final line painting will begin shortly after, meaning the road will soon be completely open to motorists.
Some storm drain and retention work is also planned for later this summer but that is not expected to significantly affect area traffic.
"It is certainly satisfying to see the end of it," said Dave Currie, Port Coquitlam's manager of transportation. "Certainly, going forward, the city will see the benefits this route will provide."
Since construction began, many motorists have found alternate routes, including Pitt River Road and Shaughnessy Street, which are not intended for large volumes of traffic. Currie believes that once construction along Broadway is complete, drivers will return to the four-lane thoroughfare when commuting between the north and south sides of the city.
"Already, some of that diversion is coming back," he said. "We also project that once the [Port Mann Bridge/Highway 1] project is complete, we will attract more volumes south and west and further relieve traffic congestion in the downtown."
Broadway Street is seen by city staff as an important connection between the Coast Meridian Overpass and the Mary Hill Bypass. The road is also an important part of the city's and the province's disaster response route.
The project is the last infrastructure upgrade in Port Coquitlam that was funded through the Building Canada Fund - a federal stimulus fund set up after the economic downturn in 2008.
The federal and provincial governments contributed $7.6 million to the project, with the remaining $3.8 million coming from TransLink's Major Road Network Minor Capital Program and the city of Port Coquitlam.
But the Broadway Street reconstruction project is not the only part of the north-south route that is being upgraded.
This week, work is expected to commence on the Coast Meridian Road trunk sewer project between Galloway Avenue and Highland Drive, above David Avenue. Crews will replace a storm sewer, which is expected to take approximately eight weeks, during which time traffic will be detoured.
During the first phase of the project, drivers will take Glenbrook Street off of David Avenue and turn right on to Highland Drive, before reconnecting with Coast Meridian. During the second phase, traffic will be detoured at Millard Avenue, going up Marguerite Street, once again reconnecting with Coast Meridian at Highland Drive.
TAKE A WALK
Pedestrians will have an easier time accessing Leigh Square as the city of Port Coquitlam begins to implement some of the measures in its Downtown Pedestrian Circulation Study (DTPS).
A sidewalk will be added along the west side of Donald Street in order to improve the walking connections between Wilson Avenue and Leigh Square.
"It will be safer and more of a defined space for pedestrians," said PoCo's transportation manager Dave Currie. "It will be a more pleasant path to walk through."
While Donald Street will be improved for pedestrians, the route will continue to have two-way vehicle traffic from Wilson Avenue to Leigh Square. All city-designated parking stalls will be retained, with some being relocated eastward.
The DTPS, which was drafted earlier this year in an effort to improve walkability in Port Coquitlam's downtown area, identified the route as a priority for pedestrians.
