The 6th Street Active Transportation Bridge will move forward towards construction, with City of Courtenay Council approving the award of the construction contract and update to the project鈥檚 cost estimate.
Courtenay City Council received results of a recent request for proposals for the project, which will be a transportation connector for active transportation users and pedestrians.
"Given the submissions of the RFP, council directed staff to secure $4.3 million in long-term borrowing to complete the project," a public notice from the city says. "The estimated overall cost for the work has been updated to $11.2 million, from $6.9 million. The City will continue to explore other funding opportunities to offset project costs."
The project has been awarded $3.5 million in grant funding. The balance is proposed to be paid for by long-term borrowing, as well as the city's reserves.
鈥淭he 6th Street Active Transportation Bridge is a cornerstone project for the downtown vitalization plan and an important investment in our downtown core,鈥� said Mayor Bob Wells. 鈥淲e feel it鈥檚 important to continue to move this vital project forward, and will continue to seek grant funding to reduce impacts to Courtenay taxpayers.鈥�
The crossing will be a four metre-wide bridge over the Courtenay River. It will go from the bottom of 6th Street to Simms Millennium Park. The goal is for cyclists, pedestrians and other people-powered transportation to have an integral east-west connection to the rest of the city. It has been factored in to the city's Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and is referenced in the city's Transportation Master Plan.
Staff will now move forward with award of the contract. The preliminary schedule at this time shows construction on site beginning in fall of 2025 and completion in summer of 2026. For more information on the project, visit .
