Cold Lake Transit is about to see additional improvements through the Transit Enhancement Sidewalk and Trail Connectivity program.
“With so many residents using Cold Lake Transit on a daily basis, it’s important to make sure that the stops and shelters are accessible and easy to use,” said Mayor Craig Copeland.
Thanks to a successful application under the Government of Alberta’s GreenTRIP grant, the connectivity program covers a few portions of Cold Lake Transit, including new concrete pads at stops with additional shelters, new asphalt trails, and sidewalk construction in high-traffic areas.
“We wanted to enhance the accessibility to make sure the public would have safe and direct access to all current stops, especially where there was no sidewalk or trail,” said Copeland. “As well, we’ll be placing additional shelters at high-traffic stops, giving riders a place to hide from bad weather.”
Concrete pads and shelters are planned to be installed at the Energy Centre; 50 Avenue at 46 Street; JJ Parr; 54 Avenue, and 52 Avenue.
The sidewalk construction will be at 8 Avenue from 13 Street to 12 Street; a continuation of 16 Street from 14 Avenue to 16 Avenue; along 69 Avenue by Tim Horton’s to connect to the Transit Centre, and 57 Street from 50 Avenue to Veteran’s Way.
In addition to the sidewalk construction, asphalt trails will be installed from the Millennium Trail to Veteran’s Way at the Lion’s Park stop, from the corner of 48 Avenue and 58 Street, to the stop on Veteran’s Way; from the Millennium Trail to Highway 28 by Shoppers Drug Mart, and from the corner of Goldenrod Gate and Wildrye Way to the stop on English Bay Road.
Tenders have been awarded to Nails Enterprises Inc. for the concrete work, and Blue Sky Coatings Ltd. for the asphalt trails, for a total of $240,000, which includes the purchase of the new shelters. While construction is expected to begin right away, and be completed by Nov. 1, 2017, the new shelters are not expected to arrive until late November and the weather may create some delays in their placement.