This month will see ground broken on the town’s two new lighted crosswalks. One will be located by Palsson Elementary at the “Friendship Trail,” and the other by the Lake Cowichan School.
According to Joe Fernandez, the town’s Chief Administrative Officer, construction on lights for both crosswalks will begin soon.
“We anticipate start up before the end of November,” said Fernandez.
He added that the crosswalks need to be completed before the end of the year in order to qualify for funding, and he anticipates that they will meet that deadline.
“We can always apply for an extension if we need to,” said Fernandez, but he believes that won’t be necessary.
The lighting set up for the two crosswalks will cost a total of $74,395. ICBC, who deemed the school locations to be top priority for this fiscal year, will give $25,000 towards the cost. The Ministry of Transportation approved the locations and also gave $10,000 to the project, leaving the taxpayers’ bill at $39,395.
Two more lighted crosswalks are slated to be built in 2015. One is expected to go near the RBC and the other will be by the new town square.
The town will need to budget for these crosswalks in the 2015 budget, which will be done by the new council, and the Ministry of Transportation will need to approve the locations, since they have jurisdiction over the applicable roads.
