Port outlines planning for Fairview Terminal container truck bypass route

The Port of Prince Rupert is moving forward with plans to create a bypass
road from Fairview to Ridley Island

One of the long running concerns for Prince Rupert City Council may soon be taken off the to do list, as the Port of Prince Rupert revealed its plans to develop a container port by pass road, providing some background on the project at Tuesday's Annual Public Meeting.

Shaun Stevenson, the VP of Trade Development and Public Affairs for the Port outlined the details for the plan, which would see the a connector road running along the shoreline of the waterfront south from the Fairview Container terminal, then hooking up with the roadway infrastructure at Ridley Island.

"We're going to see increased trucking and we're mindful of the increased trucking and what it means as an impact of the trucks going through the downtown core, and we are very, very focused on the Fairview Connector Road Project. which will see a road developed from the south of Fairview Terminal to Ridley Island, to see all of those trucks bypass the downtown core." 

The new access route is considered a top infrastructure priority for the port and would provide for some significant relief for the downtown area, redirecting traffic away from the city centre.

The port noted that they hope to have construction on that bypass route underway later this year.

The topic of the need for such a road was raised once again in May, with Councillor Cunningham reaffirming his concerns over the level of container truck traffic that is currently transiting through the city's downtown area.

The city's desire to see such a route developed has been one of the consistent themes from City Council's over the last ten years.

Mayor Lee Brain had previously noted that one option, a bypass road along Wantage Road was something that the city had been considering, with Prince Rupert having rolled it into their larger Prince Rupert Access Corridor  project initiative.

The ports forward movement on their own transportation option along the shoreline could mean that the Wantage plans will be moved further down the list as part of the city's own transportation planning.

For more items related to Port of Prince Rupert see our archive page here.

Further background on City of Prince Rupert notes can be reviewed on our Council Discussion page.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review