City of Prince Rupert still waiting on street light upgrades

It has been months since the province promised to help improve lighting in downtown Prince Rupert, but the streets are still dark.

That was an issue raised at the city’s Jan. 14 general council meeting during a discussion about lack of visibility on Highway 16.

Acting Mayor Wade Niesh asked for an update regarding the work that was supposed to be done to upgrade the lights along the stretch of Highway 16 that goes through Prince Rupert’s downtown.

The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure said at the time that 89 street light bulbs would be converted to LED bulbs, pedestrian crossing countdown timers and audible signals would be installed and durable paint would be laid down at crosswalks along McBride Street and Second Avenue.

The announced timetable for the work was sometime between September and October, but work has not been started.

Corrine Bomben, the city’s Chief Financial Officer, said that the city inquired with the province before the Christmas break. She said the department had difficulty finding contractors to complete the work, hence the delay.

Veronika Stewart, the city’s communications manager, later added in an emailed statement that unavailability of specialized parts added to the delay.

Bomben said the city would be following up to receive an updated timeline as to when the upgrades would take place.

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Matthew Allen | Reporter

Matthew Allen