City of Nanaimo Advisory: Bowen Road Project Set to Begin

The Bowen Road widening and Quarterway Bridge project will get underway in


March 2011.

This will be one of the largest infrastructure improvement projects that the City has


undertaken. It is scheduled to be complete late fall 2012. The impacted stretch of Bowen Road carries


between thirteen (13,000) to sixteen (16,000) thousand vehicles a day and is a critical route for many


people as they make their way around the City.

The major outcomes of the project will include the widening of the stretch of road between Pryde


Avenue to just beyond the intersection of Bowen and Buttertubs Road and the replacement of the


Quarterway Bridge. Once complete the project will provide enhanced safety for pedestrians and


vehicular traffic at both intersections, including the installation of traffic lights at the Buttertubs


intersection, and the addition of a dedicated left turn lane into the Quarterway Pub and neighboring


businesses.

The Quarterway Bridge, originally built in 1939, will also be replaced. The new bridge will be engineered


so as to withstand flooding of the Millstone River which the current aging bridge would not. Bridge


upgrades will only be carried out during the summer fisheries window so as not to interfere with the


salmon spawning habitat. Along with the bridge replacement, aging infrastructure such as water pipes,


storm pipes and sanitary sewer pipes will be upgraded. Utilities such as BC Hydro, Shaw, and Telus will


also be relocated.

The first phase of the project will see the installation of a two lane bridge that will be constructed north


of the existing bridge, and includes the road widening and necessary utility upgrades. In the fall of 2011


traffic will be rerouted to the new two lane bridge.

The second phase of the project will see the completion of the road and utility improvements along the


existing Bowen Road pavement. As part of this phase, the original bridge will be demolished and


replaced with a second bridge in the summer of 2012. The two new bridges will then be ‘twinned’ and


will result in a five lane bridge.

While disruption is an inevitable part of projects of this size every effort is being made to minimize the


impact. Lane closures and traffic delays are anticipated with some weekend and nighttime road


closures. Drivers who regularly use this section of Bowen Road are encouraged to find alternative


routes. Meetings are being held with local businesses, area residents will be notified of and consulted on


direct impacts in regards to neighbourhood traffic impacts, and residents will be able to monitor the


project’s progress on the City’s website at www.nanaimo.ca/goto/BowenRoad .

Bowen West Soccer Field within Bowen Park will be closed for the duration of the project. The current


field subsurface will be rebuilt in preparation for a new field to be built in 2012. Current field users have


been notified of the closure and have been accommodated elsewhere.

For a full overview of the project please visit www.nanaimo.ca/goto/BowenRoad.

If you have any questions or concerns about this project you are welcome to contact Jan Mongard, Engineering Construction Project Manager City of Nanaimo at 250 756 5321.