St. Albert will spend $1.54 million taking down some overhead power lines and poles in the alley behind St. Anne Street downtown, while also making some roadway improvements to the alley itself over the next two years.
Council unanimously approved the $1.54 million budget on July 16 after hearing from administration that the overhead power lines in the alley restrict vehicle access to the Niche Developments construction site on the former Blind Pig Pub location as well as seven other buildings, and that the planned alleyway improvements are considered necessary as part of downtown redevelopment.
The power lines “reduce the actual possible travel width of asphalt to less than [three metres],” according to a report to council written by city transportation manager Dean Schick. “Minimum Transportation Association of Canada lane width for vehicles is 3.2 metres for two-directional traffic.”
“In addition, moderate to long-term needs of access and increased use of the laneway are anticipated with further downtown densification.”
Schick's report also explains that as part of Niche Developments' initial development permit from 2020 the company agreed to remove three of the power poles, while the city would be responsible for removing the remaining seven poles and the associated infrastructure like transformer boxes.
“The decision for the city to complete this project was based upon the alignment of work to support [the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan], recognition that the work was outside the scope associated with the single Niche Development application, and benefit to the surrounding businesses and downtown area,” Schick wrote.
Most of the project's budget will be covered through existing project budgets, as well as the $540,000 the city received from selling 206 streetlights to Fortis Alberta last summer. The unaccounted for funding, totalling $495,000, will be taken from the city's capital reserve.
Now that the funding is approved, Fortis Alberta will remove the seven power poles the city is responsible for and install replacement power infrastructure underground sometime this summer at the earliest. Next summer, if the power poles are removed this year, the alley will be slightly widened and rebuilt to ensure the road can withstand two-directional traffic.
“[The] schedule has not been finalized with Fortis, which may result in [delays for] the first phase of the project for burying the power lines,” Schick wrote. “To mitigate impacts, no work or closures or impactful site actions will occur until all scope and schedules are finalized, with the key objective to minimize impact and disruption to businesses.”
Schick told council on July 16 that nearby businesses will be without power for an undetermined amount of time, although the affected businesses will be provided with notice for when the power outage will take place.
“The nice thing is that it would be planned,” Schick said. “I would anticipate that if there is opportunity for temporary power, then we would try and accommodate that.”
Council also heard from administration, in response to a question from Coun. Mike Killick, that no parking spaces will be affected by widening the alley way.
Prior to voting Coun. Ken MacKay said it was “obvious” that the alleyway needed to be upgraded, and that he hopes its refurbishment sparks some growth in the adjacent area.
“Perhaps having an upgraded lane will actually spur some of the growth in relation to either replacement of some of the existing buildings, or maybe even growth in some of the empty parking lots there as well,” he said.
