Should we spruce up Bruce, just like we did for Gore?

City Council will be asked Monday to consider streetscaping Bay St. and Bruce St. as part of upcoming road reconstruction projects

Don Elliott, the city's director of engineering, says many visitors get their first impression of our downtown from Bruce St. So Elliott wants Bruce streetscaped to a 'high-quality public space' like this recently completed reconstruction of Gore St. David Helwig/SooToday

Sault Ste. Marie City Council is being asked to think about prettifying Bruce and Bay streets downtown as part of $26 million in road reconstruction work proposed for next year.

"Bruce St. is a major gateway and creates a first impression of the downtown," says Don Elliott, the city's director of engineering, in a report to be presented to Mayor Provenzano and councillors on Monday.

"The planned reconstruction is a significant opportunity to build a high-quality public space and improve the downtown image. To streetscape the Queen St. to Wellington St. section of Bruce St. in a similar design as the recently completed Gore St., will require an additional budget of $600,000."

Elliott is also proposing a multi-use Hub Trail spoke path, complete with landscaping and street furniture, along a 1.5-kilometre stretch of Bay St. to be rebuilt from Andrew St. to East St.

This Bay St. streetscaping would add $1.5 million to the cost of Bay St. road construction, of which as much $1 million could be eligible for a grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).

"The preliminary budget does not include the $1.5 million for streetscaping on Bay St. or the $600,000 for Bruce St." Elliott says.

"If the FCM application is successful, it may be prudent to defer Bruce St. reconstruction to 2019, and commit to completing Bay St. in 2018."

As for the current road-building season, Elliott reports the following projects are well underway:

resurfacing of Second Line between Carmen and North, and between Great Northern and Old Garden River Rd.
replacement of the Fort Creek aqueduct on John St. between Cathcart and Edinburgh
first phase of storm sewer replacement and storm water management works in the Pim and McNabb area
reconstruction of Grace St. between Elgin and Bruce
reconstruction of Franklin between Henrietta and Laura
reconstruction of the seawall at 711 Bay St.
various resurfacing programs

A planned extension of Sackville Rd. from Mary St. to Third Line was deferred by City Council from the current program to an undetermined time in the future.

The following are comments from Elliott about proposed 2018 and 2019 road reconstruction projects, excerpted by SooToday from his report to City Council:

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McNabb/Pim stormwater Improvements - Phase II

It is recommended that the storm sewer replacement begun under Phase I in 2017 be completed in 2018. Phase II involves replacement and up-sizing of a trunk storm sewer from Poplar Park northerly through easements to a point on the north side of McNabb St.

Simpson St. - Queen to Wellington

The five-year capital plan identified Simpson Street for full reconstruction. It is in need of full replacement of underground services and road structure. It is recommended that Simpson St. between Queen and Wellington be completely reconstructed to a Class A urban standard cross-section.

Bruce St. - Queen to Wellington

This project was identified in the five-year capital plan. This portion of Bruce Street is in need of full reconstruction including new underground services. It is recommended this portion of Bruce Street be reconstructed to a Class A urban standard cross-section. Bruce Street is a major gateway and creates a first impression of the downtown. The planned reconstruction is a significant opportunity to build a high-quality public space and improve the downtown image. To streetscape the Queen Street to Wellington Street section of Bruce Street in a similar design as the recently completed Gore Street, will require an additional budget of $600,000.

Connecting link

An allowance is included in the 2018 capital plan for the city’s share of the 2018 connecting link project. It is anticipated that the intake for 2018 applications will be provided soon, with an application deadline in the fall. It is likely that staff will be recommending the widening of Black Road between McNabb and Second Line as the candidate project. A separate report will be brought to Council at a later date with a recommendation.

Black Rd. - Second Line to Third Line

The Black Rd. and Third Line corridor from McNabb to the hospital entrance is the subject of an environmental assessment which is anticipated to be complete in the near future. The five-year plan identified the reconstruction of this portion of Black Rd. in 2018. The road surface and pavement sub-structure has failed. The environmental assessment recommends the road be reconstructed to a two-lane Class B standard with a wider platform, roadside ditches, and wide paved shoulders for active transportation.

Fort Creek Aqueduct - Phases 6 and 7

It is recommended that Phases 6 and 7 of the Fort Creek aqueduct replacement be completed in 2018. This includes replacement of the aqueduct along Wellington St. from John to Carmen, and northerly along Carmen to the open channel portion of Fort Creek. Construction of the Fort Creek aqueduct Phase 3 on John St. will be completed this year. Remaining Phases 4 and 5 to replace the original aqueduct in the laneway east of John St. between Edinburgh and Albert St. are scheduled to be completed in 2019 and 2020. This program is two-thirds funded by the Small Communities portion of the Build Canada program.

Bay St. - Andrew to Pim

Bay St. is in serious need of resurfacing. Council is aware that an environmental assessment was completed and the preferred alternative included a conversion down to three lanes with a multi-use trail on the south side. The project was originally scheduled in the five-year capital plan for 2015. Available funds for Bay St. were diverted to the reconstruction of Gore St. It is recommended that a priority be placed on Bay St. improvements in 2018, if two items are resolved:

The downtown traffic study recommends that it remain one way
Sufficient funding is identified in the 2018 capital budget

Development of the multi-use path (Hub Trail spoke), landscaping and street furniture of the 1.5-kilometre section from Andrew St. to East St. is an additional $1,500,000 of which up to $1,000,000 may be eligible for a grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Various road resurfacing

Funds for the resurfacing of city streets in the miscellaneous construction program are inadequate to meet the demand. Budget permitting, any unallocated capital funds should be designated to resurfacing other streets. The engineering division annually brings a resurfacing program to council for approval in the spring. Engineering staff will undertake the design and contract administration for a portion of the 2018 capital program. Procurement of engineering services for other projects is underway based on approval provided by council at the July 17, 2017 meeting. Some of the projects listed above have already had consultants assigned.

2019 capital reconstruction and beyond

Council should recognize that while Bay St. resurfacing is a priority for 2018, McNabb St. between Pim and Lake is also rapidly deteriorating and is in need of a new surface.

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City councillors are expected to continue discussing the proposed capital roads budget into the 2018 budget deliberations.

Monday's meeting of City Council will be livestreamed on SooToday starting at 4:30 p.m.