A busy residential street in Azilda will be made more pedestrian friendly with the renewal of Notre Dame Street, which is slated to include two metres of paved shoulders on both sides.
A few months ago, Ward 4 Coun. Geoff McCausland presented a 672-name petition spearheaded by the Azilda Community Action Network to city council that called for active transportation accommodations along an eastern stretch of Notre Dame Street.
Reaching several blocks west from Tim Hortons through a residential neighbourhood, the road currently lacks sidewalks, with pedestrians relegated to an uneven and mainly gravel shoulder.
Sudbury.com visited the neighbourhood in November and was told by area resident Mark Steklasa that it’s bad enough during the summer months, but becomes downright “treacherous” during the winter.”
Area residents we spoke with were united in agreeing the road needed better accommodations for pedestrians.
Although McCausland said the community has been vocal in its push for sidewalks, he believes they’ll be satisfied with paved shoulders as an alternative.
Unless directed otherwise, city policy dictates that the future renewal of Notre Dame Street will automatically include the paved shoulders.
It’s anticipated that the project will take place within the next few years and will carry a price tag of approximately $3.5 million, which includes the addition of paved shoulders.
The installation of sidewalks instead of paved shoulders would add another $2.5 million to the project, according to city traffic and asset management supervisor Joe Rocca.
“I know a lot of people want sidewalks and think that sidewalks are the be-all and end-all, but I’m hopeful this will be a really great solution for the community that we’ll be able to duplicate in other places all over Greater Sudbury,” McCausland said.
“Not only does it make it better for the users, but it significantly increases the lifespan of the road in such a way that it can actually offset a lot of the increased costs up front.”
During this week’s operations committee meeting, Rocca explained that the paved shoulders provide additional support for the road’s platform, which helps extend its life.
Further, the paved shoulders will be plowed throughout the winter alongside the balance of the road, which will also cut down on costs, since a separate machine is deployed to clear sidewalks.
Using existing ditches instead of storm sewers that accompany sidewalks is also of environmental benefit, McCausland said, since ditches better filter out things like road salt before it reaches Whitewater Lake.
During this week’s meeting, Rocca also reassured McCausland that the western stretch of Notre Dame Street in Azilda will also receive paved shoulders whenever it’s due for restoration.
The elected official said he’s optimistic the community will respond well to the city’s active transportation solution.
“It’s tricky when you haven’t necessarily seen it before, trying to wrap your head around whether you’ll feel safe, but I’m hopeful and trusting in staff’s expertise.”
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
