Complaints about Division Ave. overshadow official opening

By COLLIN GALLANT on November 22, 2024.

@MedicineHatNews

Division Avenue construction is completed for the year, but administrators are still answering questions about the remake that narrowed the key north-south artery.

A presentation to council’s development and infrastructure committee Thursday saw municipal works officials run through the project and the committee defend certain measures meant to improve pedestrian safety.

“Construction is complete for the year and the road is open today,” said city chief engineer Stan Nowakowski, acting as division managing director.

“But we’ll continue to accept inquiries from the public and council on the project.”

The work has been a major disruption on the Southeast and Southwest Hill this summer as crews replaced roadway, upgraded some utility lines and sewers, but also widened a trail alongside the road and redid crosswalks.

Work from Third to Seventh streets, as well as 12th Street to Old Cemetery Road, is done, with remaining portions planned for spring 2025.

But members of the public have heavily questioned the rationale of removing space on the roadway to add to a pathway for off-road cycling when fewer bikes than cars travel the stretch.

“The biggest comment I’m still getting are the width of the road and the sidewalks,” said Coun. Shila Sharps, who admitted she was in a minor fender bender on the roadway this fall.

“People say they can’t get a trailer out now. I find it narrow, and that might just be me.”

Nowakowski said the two-lane road is a standard width, but may appear narrow “because we (removed) the lanes for parking that were never used for parking”

“As far as turning goes, it is designed for buses and we worked with (school transportation provider) Southlands.

“All intersections are designed for typical turns, including emergency vehicles that may have to swing out, but they can make the turn.”

Coun. Alison Van Dyke said the area is a residential neighbourhood divided by the busy road.

“It’s a neighbourhood with lots of young children – a very walkable neighbourhood, with (five) schools, a pool, a hockey arena, daycares – but people have treated Division Avenue as a quick thoroughfare, not realizing that,” she said.

“The narrower road, and traffic calming measures, will do what they are meant to do. And people will have to be more conscious when they drive. It will be an adjustment, but will have significant return on safety for the people who live nearby.”

Nowakowski also said the trailway should be increasingly used by cyclists, joggers and others when it is joined to the College Avenue, thereby joining the trail network in south Medicine Hat to downtown.

“We’ll have a temporary trail next year, or a permanent one,” he said.

Winding up

Nowakowski said all major environmental utility construction projects for the year have been completed, with municipal work projects winding up as well.

The only outstanding project is some work on the Shannon Bridge at the base of Dunmore Road. That will be complete next week before portions of the roadway are required closed to accommodate private-sector work to close a natural gas well near the intersection with Spencer Street.

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