It will likely take two construction seasons but expect significant improvements to safety and traffic flow along Cassells Street in the near future.
The good news, according to the City of North Bay’s engineering department, is that a potentially dangerous turning situation will be eliminated as part of the Cassells Street project. The bad news is it could snarl traffic at two of the city’s busiest access points from the Highway 11/17 bypass.
The project is still in the planning phase, but the general consensus is that left turns into the plaza housing Shoppers Drug Mart and Food Basics will no longer be permitted for safety reasons.
Currently, a short turning lane that holds three vehicles (at best) is in use at a point where Cassells Street curves toward the downtown core. Instead, vehicles will be directed to make the left turn at either Shaw or Olive (where traffic lights are already installed) Streets.
Another issue at the entranceway to the plaza that also contains office space, a money-lending operation, and a standalone Beer Store outlet is there is currently no pedestrian walkway fronting Cassells Street. A pedestrian continuing down the south side of Trout Lake Road can cross across the ramp at the corner nearest the bypass but then be stranded without a sidewalk, forcing people to walk through the parking lot or along the curb of a busy Cassells Street.
At Tuesday’s regular meeting, North Bay City Council approved preliminary spending of $387,400.00 (plus HST) to C.C. Tatham & Associates Ltd. for consulting services for the Cassells Street Reconstruction project.
Councillor Tanya Vrebosch, who chairs the public works and engineering committee, confirms that the tender process for the approximately $10 million project will likely go out in early 2019 so work can begin in the spring. Vrebosch says the improvements are of such a scope that construction and rehabilitation will almost certainly continue into the 2020 season.
This coincides with another major road reconstruction not far away at Seymour Street and the bypass that is in its beginning phase and will also run until 2020.
The Cassells Street project will widen the road from the intersection of Highway 11/17 towards King Street, allowing for four lanes where there are currently three for a stretch west of Chippewa Street.
Vrebosch indicates that city staffers have consulted with the owners of the stores in the plaza on Cassells Street on the changes to the entrance and have support for the changes. The City is also consulting on another traffic issue with the owners of the Esso gas station on Algonquin Avenue where lefthand turns across Algonquin could be eliminated.
Included in the Report to Council is an environmental assessment that says existing traffic volumes have reached or exceeded the available road capacity of Cassells Street. “Any future traffic growth will exacerbate the existing conditions,” the report states.
The staff report notes the “City recognizes the need to provide improvements to resolve problems resulting from road structure inadequacies, corridor capacity deficiencies and unsafe conditions.”
While work is undertaken, staff says the opportunity presents to coordinate the replacement of underground water main, sanitary and storm sewers, the bridge over Chippewa Creek and rehabilitation of Chippewa Creek in the vicinity of Cassells Street.
