The City of Thunder Bay has released a report on its infrastructure construction work for 2020.

For the year, the city spent $18 million on road and sidewalk rehabilitation, residential paving, sanitary and storm sewers, watermain repair/replacement, bridge and culvert work, and streetlight renewal.

“In this challenging year, we would like to express special thanks to residents for their patience during the road work season and its related road closures, detours and delays,” said Kayla Dixon, director of engineering & operations. “We were able to complete some ambitious projects to enhance the city’s infrastructure.”

Highlights from the 2020 construction season include:

Major arterial road work, such as:

• a rebuild of the intersection at Balmoral Street & Harbour Expressway with double turn lanes, continuation of multi-use trails on both sides of the street, and replacement of the existing ditches with storm sewers. The project is the second phase of a four-phase project that will extend to Beverly Street.
• pavement resurfacing on sections of Dawson Road from Skyline Avenue to Hazelwood Drive, River Street from Madeline Street to High Street, and James Street from Kingston Street to Frederica Street.

Completion of the first year of work on the Boulevard Lake Dam, with the expectation to resume higher water levels in 2021, while the remaining work on the dam is completed. The walkway will remain closed through the winter and during construction in 2021.

Extension of the multi-use trail network on the east side of Ford Street, from Rankin Street to Moodie Street. This new trail provides safe off-road pedestrian and cyclist access, connecting Walsh Street to Confederation College, Lakehead University, and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

Street rehabilitation, sewer work and sidewalks, including:

• the full replacement of sewer and watermain on sections of Syndicate Avenue, Brodie Street, McKellar Street, Sills Street and Norah Street,
• the rehabilitation of Tupper Street from Prospect Avenue to Jean Street, including a significant storm sewer upgrade and replacement of sections of the sanitary sewer,
• complete rebuilds of Amelia Street from Edward Street to Ford Street, and of Minnesota Street from Southern Avenue to Pacific Avenue,
• resurfacing and watermain replacement on Simpson Street between Pacific Avenue and Southern Avenue.
• 1,350 metres of new sidewalks installed in gap locations that serve transit, 1,100 metres of sidewalks were reconstructed, and 1,800 metres of new sewers were installed to separate storm and sanitary systems.