Better trail 'interconnectedness' coming to Fredericton

Fredericton residents may soon see some upgrades beginning on the trail system around the city.

Tyson Aubie, a traffic engineer with the city, said design work has started but no construction yet.

The work will tackle a number of things including various trail connections at Killarney Lake to nearby areas and within the park, trail work in Lincoln, trail paving in different parts of the city, Cross Town Trail work, pier work at the Barkers Point Bridge, sidewalk work in various parts of the city and new bike racks.

Aubie said he hopes to see some of the trail paving and the Lincoln project done this year, but that the scheduled completion date for all of the projects is 2026.

Aubiesaid the construction should have only a small impacton people.

"For example, trail users during paving operations, they might see some trail closures. Those would be a fairly short duration. Most of those projects only last week or two," he said.

"A lot of the trail construction is off-road so there should be minimal impacts to the public during construction."

A combined $5.4 million is being contributed for the projects over $3 million from the federal government and over $2 million from the city.

Aubie said the funding will accomplish everything the city has set out for so far, but that these projects are "by no stretch of the imagination a comprehensive list of everything we would like to accomplish right now."

Still, he said the current planned projects cover a substantial portion of "one of the more critical gaps that we have."

Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers said the upgrades are all about creating an interconnectedness betweenthe trail networks, streets and sidewalks.

"Sometimes you're along a trail, and then it's like, oh, I'm off the trails. Now, I have to go on to a street. And not everyone feels as comfortable doing that," she said.

Fredericton MP Jenica Atwin said that active transportation, which includes walking and biking, speaks to the identity of the city.

She also said there have been tragic accidents, especially across from the university, where people try to cross because it's faster.

"It's about leading a healthy, active lifestyle, but also about being safe, and that's a big component that I'm looking forward to as well," she said.