Fifth Street Complete Street

FIFTH STREET FAQ

Q1: Complete Streets?

What are Complete Streets?

• “Complete Streets” is an international initiative and design approach that requires streets to be planned and operated to enable safe and comfortable use for all ages and abilities.
• Complete Streets move people, not just cars.
• The initiative recognizes that streets have different roles, functions, and characteristics depending on their context.
• A Complete Street aims to provide balanced mobility for a range of users including pedestrians, bicyclists, vehicles and transit in a shared roadway experience.
• Nanaimo's Council, staff, and residents have supported complete streets principles dating back to 2002.

Q2: How are decisions made?

As part of the decision-making process decisions are made based on three components:

• Technical Requirements - what infrastructure best meets the area's needs, where it can fit, and what impacts it will have to the immediate and surrounding area
• City Policies - how City initiatives and activities are implemented
• Public Input - local knowledge of the community

Q3: Why Change?

Why are the road upgrades along this project required?

• The Fifth Street Corridor is a major road connecting the Downtown Mobility Hub and the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mobility Hub, which is the City's largest cycling destination.
• The Fifth Street & Bruce Avenue intersection has been identified as needing a signalization upgrade and Fifth Street has been identified as needing active transportation upgrades, pavement renewal, and accessibility improvements.
• The City’s goal is to provide a greener, more sustainable, multi-modal network that accommodates all user groups safely and efficiently.
  
• Nanaimo is one of the fastest growing communities in BC. This means the City must plan ahead to ensure sustainable modes of transportation are incorporated into today’s projects for future uses.

Q4: Sidewalks?

Will there be a new sidewalk on Fifth Street?

• Yes - construction will include a new sidewalk on the south side of the road!
• The design proposes a continuous sidewalks for the extent of the project from Wakesiah Avenue to Bruce Avenue.
• The aim is to provide a comfortable and functional environment that is universally accessible for pedestrians of all ages and abilities.

Q5: Cycle Tracks?

Will there be a new dedicated cycle lane on Fifth Street?

• Yes - construction will include a new raised bike lane on the south side of the road!
• The cycle track is designed to strengthen connections to Downtown from VIU. 
• Based on public feedback from other complete streets projects, the preference is for cyclists to be physically separated from the road. This is being accommodated where possible.
  
• Physical separation encourages comfort for users of all ages and abilities.

Q6: Accessibility?

What accessibility features will the design include for more vulnerable road users?

• Tactile warning surface indicators at all crosswalks and bus stops to aid the visually impaired.
• Raised crossings will be incorporated at local roads to provide a safer and more consistent surface for wheel chairs and other wheeled modes.

Q7: Safety?

a) What safety features will the design include?

• A lot of the safety improvements incorporated into the Fifth Street project are from the Provincial Government’s BC Community Road Safety Toolkit, created in the hopes of working towards Vision Zero in communities throughout the province.
• Pedestrian & Cycling Safety Improvements included in this project:
  • Tactile Warning Surface Indicators (TWSIs)
  • Sidewalks (Module1 - Page5)
  • Protected Bicycle Lane (Module1-Page12)
  • Raised Crossings (Module1 - Page26)
  • Conflict Paint (Module1 - Page27)
• Roadway Safety Improvements included in this project:
  • Narrowed Vehicle Lanes (Module2 - Page7)
  • Smaller Corner Radii (Module2 - Page24)

b) Won’t cars block the sidewalk and bike lanes at local roads?

• The same conflict between a car and the pedestrian or cyclist exists today. The only difference is the car will visibly be entering the sidewalk instead of the user stepping out onto the road. See Raised Crossings above.

Q8: Parking?

Will existing parking along Fifth Street be removed?

• The primary use of a collector street is to move people. Priority has been given to providing a sidewalk, where informal shoulder parking currently exists. 

Q9: Encroachments?

Will the improvements be utilizing the City right-of-way up to the property line?

• The proposed design uses the full road right-of-way to provide the corridor improvements.
• Where possible, the design has meandered sidewalks.

Q10: Narrowing?

Will Fifth Street be narrowed?

• The design will maintain a 2-3 lane cross-section with one lane in each direction and a centre turn lane at the major intersections of Wakesiah Avenue and Bruce Avenue. 

Q11: Maintenance?

How will sidewalks and boulevards be maintained?

• As per the City’s current bylaw, snow clearing of sidewalks is the responsibility of the adjacent property owner.
• The City is expecting that, similar to the current conditions today, that boulevard maintenance will be the responsibility of the adjacent homeowners.

Q12: Environment?

Will the improvements have environmental impacts?

• Environmental impacts during construction will be mitigated through the preparation and use of an environmental protection and stormwater management plan.

Q13: When?

When will this be built?

• Construction of the Fifth Street & Bruce Avenue Intersection occurred during the Summer/Fall of 2023.