Pedestrian crossover construction in Wellington would take 2-3 weeks

County staff recommend Drew Harrison Haulage Ltd be accepted as the lowest tender bid to create a pedestrian crossover downtown Wellington.

Three tenders were received ranging from $152,145 to $195,945 but amounts were lowered when a second option of milling existing asphalt and installing only a new top course of asphalt was deemed the most cost-effective method.

(UPDATE: Approved) If approved by council Tuesday night, construction could start immediately and be substantially complete in two to three weeks. The contractor has been advised work would only be permitted Monday to Thursday and on Friday mornings. The site is to be reinstated each day to allow for pedestrian travel on both sidewalks, as well as two lanes of traffic.

Three locations had been discussed in a 2019 crosswalk warrant study by Jewell Engineering which recommended mid-block traffic signals.

The preferred location in front of the United Church and St. Andrews Anglican Church required the United Church’s existing driveway exit to the east be shifted further east to accommodate the crossing. The church agreed to the change as it will improve the parking lot’s function and allow for more parking stalls.

Locations in front of the post office and in front of CML Snider were also considered. The post office was deemed too close to the existing traffic signals at Wharf Street and the school location was deemed to be too distant from the downtown core.

The study was prompted following an accident on Wellington Main in 2017 that resulted in the death of a pedestrian, along with continued high traffic volumes from growth and tourism. The study also recommended mid-block traffic signals on Bloomfield Main and a pedestrian crossover on Union Street in Picton, which has since been implemented. Bloomfield’s project, as the road is provincial, required consultation and approval from the Ministry of Transportation. General consent has been provided, and a detailed design has begun and is expected to be tendered in August.

The project has $177,000 in funding set aside in the 2021 budget.