A proposed sidewalk and streetlight project on 1st Avenue NW in Creston has hit a roadblock, with town staff recommending no further action after its estimated cost ballooned by $2.24 million.
The request was first brought before council in April, when councillors opted against funding the work through general revenues and directed staff to explore whether property owners would be willing to contribute through a local improvement tax.
Town staff initially estimated the work would cost about $570,000, but a more detailed assessment found it would require extensive road and drainage upgrades, including replacing the existing ditch with an underground storm sewer, installing curb and gutter, rebuilding the road base and repaving.
“We looked at the entire road, and in order to get the road to properly hit the gutters and get into the storm system, the road basically needs to be replaced, which would require the road base to also be replaced,” said Infrastructure Director Brad Zieffle during Tuesday’s council meeting.
He said the full scope of work would cover about 850 metres from College Street to Hilton Place, including a sidewalk on the east side of the road and up to eight new streetlights.
“So the estimated cost is up to $2.81 million, which would actually go from College Street all the way down to Hilton Place.”
The cost could also fall partly on nearby property owners through a local area improvement tax. Zieffle said a fully owner-funded option could see each of the 34 affected properties face payments of about $6,700 annually over 20 years.
Staff recommended council take no further action on the request, noting the area is not identified as a priority for sidewalks or lighting in the town’s Official Community Plan, Trails Master Plan or Multi-Modal Transportation Plan.
Councillors supported the recommendation. Staff will now respond to the resident, outlining the town’s infrastructure priorities and other potential safety measures.
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