Work will start this spring on a streetscaping project to make Somerset Street more pedestrian-friendly.
The city’s scheduled street construction will focus on the area between Preston and West Wellington this year, and will target the street between Preston and Booth in 2011.
One of the biggest issues are the sidewalks on Somerset Street.
“The sidewalks are too narrow,” says Eric Darwin, president of the Dalhousie Community Association. “You are almost walking next to the driving cars. And there is a lot of slush.”
The city has started to meet with community and business associations to talk about the design and determine what they want for Somerset Street.
Discussions will continue through the spring. In the end, it will be the community’s decision.
The city is going to start with the decorative street lighting. Other issues include designing the roadway to accommodate parking and cycling, says project manager Max Ross.
According to Darwin, the area is very car-orientated. "In the late fifties, they widened the street, but there are still not enough cars to justify this."
During a recent public meeting, some attendees expressed concerns over landscaping styles.
"There should be a consistent experience," says Darwin.