View Royal council’s early approval of the town’s $150,000 pavement rehabilitation budget was spurred by a desire to get going on a specific section of the Island Highway.
Tuesday’s decision to pass this item on the overall 2015 budget ahead of time was made to take advantage of paving work scheduled for late March by the Capital Regional District for Phase 2 of the E&N Rail Trail through View Royal.
The section of road from Adams Place to the traffic light at the Colwood Interchange and Burnside Road West is in dire need of repair and has started to rut significantly enough to affect driver safety, said Coun. John Rogers.
“It’s always economical to team up with another group that needs to do paving for a project,” he said. “When we did the (new) fire hall, the CRD went in and fixed the water main along the Island Highway. It’s about changing project schedules to match the (Rail Trail work) as a matter of convenience.”
A report on the issue from deputy director of engineering, Deb Becelaere, explained that the curb and gutter along the north side of Island Highway would be relocated in conjunction with work on the Rail Trail project.
“Since this will require asphalt removal and replacement, as well as reinstatement of the traffic signal [triggers], it makes monetary sense to partner with the CRD and carry out the full rehabilitation of the westbound lanes,” she wrote.
Work by town staff on the project will take place in the evening and early morning hours between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. so as not to disrupt traffic flows. It is expected to take two to three nights.
The intent is to have the paving and road marking finished in time for the completion of the adjacent section of the Rail Trail, tentatively scheduled for late April.