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HomeNewsCouncillor says pedestrian overpass needed between Walmart and Independent Grocers

Councillor says pedestrian overpass needed between Walmart and Independent Grocers

North Bay city councillor Mark King says recently the city received a report that details the idea of building an overpass from Thomson Park to the Walmart parking lot that cyclists would use to bypass the busy traffic in the Trout Lake Road region.

King says these are the cyclists who make their way through the quiet neighbourhood streets in an attempt to link up with the trail that takes them to the waterfront.

“There’s no question in my mind that you can’t use Trout Lake Road, it just won’t work, it’s too busy,” King said.

The overpass would be behind Shoppers Drug Mart and then span across the roadway toward Walmart and Independent Grocers.

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King admits the overpass is not a priority project and it will be years before it’s ever built, if at all.

But once in place, it can provide a safe way for cyclists to get from Point A to Point B and not worry about fighting motor vehicle traffic.

King says the overpass would be about the same length as the one that currently spans the Highway 11/17 bypass close to O’Brien although not as elaborate.

King says no one has put a dollar estimate on what it would cost to build because it’s not on a list of projects that need to get done in the short term.

However, he notes City Hall doesn’t have to pursue the project alone.

He says just like it partnered with Rotary to create the splash pad, the City can pursue a partnership with a service group.

“They (the service groups) have the ability to access funding for some projects because they are non-profit,” he said.

“I could see something like that working in the future.”

The overpass councillor Mark King is talking about would not be as elaborate as the one currently near O’Brien on Highway 11/17

King also acknowledges that with the $30-billion Canada-Ontario infrastructure program announced nationally, there is the potential to access senior levels of government funds if the project qualifies as something like a recreational initiative.

King cautions a current project the city is pursuing could scuttle all future plans for the overpass.

That project is where to locate the twin-pad ice arena.

The arena will either be built at Thomson Park adjacent to the Memorial Gardens or at the Omischl complex in West Ferris.

King opposes the Thomson Park site because an arena there means you lose access to the entire land area.

 

 

 

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