THUNDER BAY – City council has decided to move forward with the Cumberland Street roundabout, which means deferring some planned roadwork in the south end.
Reconstruction of Luci Court and some underground work on Yonge Street will have to wait until 2026.
Aaron Ward, manager of engineering, informed council that the original plan for the roundabout at the intersection of Cumberland Street, Water Street, and the Marina Park overpass was to include watermain replacement and road resurfacing, but not a full reconstruction.
However, workers found “that the sanitary sewer system was in much worse shape than (they) had anticipated,” said Ward, prompting the expanded scope of the project.
The 2025 budget includes $2.6 million for the installation of the roundabout, replacing a watermain, and resurfacing Cumberland from the roundabout to Tupper Street. The additional work has increased the cost of the project.
Nadin Contracting submitted the lowest of four bids at $3.75 million, or about $1.15 million more than what was originally approved.
"Because we were doing all of the underground, we used that opportunity to also do all of the above-ground works. There are a lot more sidewalks being added in. It's more of a scope expansion since we're doing more work to kind of enhance this gateway into the North core from Cumberland Street and Water Street,” said Ward.
Ward also noted that they will be adding more green space along Water Street.
“It is a 100 per cent road and paving. So, through this reconstruction, now we are adding in green space ... to allow for landscaping and tree planting to occur, to add some more amenities and features to the space,” said Ward.
Coun. Dominic Pasqualino asked how the cost of maintaining the intersection with a traffic lights would compare to maintaining a roundabout.
The cost should be less than a quarter as high, according to Director of Engineering Matthew Miedema who said the cost to maintain a roundabout over 20-years would be $70,000 compared to traffic lights at around $300,000.
“So substantial savings to the city for the roundabout because you're not paying your electricity costs. It’s fibre cost for a roundabout there. So, the long-term savings are for the roundabout,” said Miedema.
