A cement barrier restricting access onto Opal Rd. loathed by most motorists, while praised by Opal Rd. residents was removed on Thursday, June 3. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

reverse course

Barriers removed at contentious Nanaimo intersection

Jun 5, 2021 | 6:57 AM

NANAIMO — Infrastructure heavily restricting traffic volume and speeds through a Nanaimo neighbourhood no longer exists, benefiting the masses, while incensing Opal Rd. residents.

Crews cleared a triangular concrete island and other restrictive infrastructure on Tuesday, June 1 where Opal Rd. meets Rock City Rd. a little over a month after city councillors ignored staff’s recommendation to keep the measures.

The intersection restricted vehicles from turning right off Rock City Rd. onto Opal Rd. and also turning left from Opal Rd. onto Rock City Rd. for nearly two years.

Opal Rd. resident Antonia Nugent told NanaimoNewsNOW Friday she and everybody else on the street remain angry with how the decision was made.

“I think that it was done way too quickly, they didn’t ask anybody on the street their opinions or their comments about it. As a parent of two I’m very worried about the speeding,”Nugent said.

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City traffic data showed Opal Rd. handled about 500 daily vehicle trips in 2020, down sharply from pre-traffic calming measures of 1,300 vehicles a day in 2018.

Illegal left-hand turns from Rock City Rd. onto Opal Rd. escalated sharply to 35 occurrences during a peak hour afternoon study in April 2021.

Concerns about illegal movements were voiced by some councillors during their May 3 decision.

Nugent said Opal Rd. residents won’t be going away quietly on this issue.

“Everybody that lives here is very angry and I think we’re still going to try and do something, go to our City and go to our council. It’s not over, definitely.”

In November 2020 city councillors narrowly voted to maintain the restrictive barriers in place at the bottom of Opal Rd.

It cost the City an estimated $20,000 to remove the infrastructure.

Two permanent speed bumps were placed on the road in 2006.

Unrestricted access on Opal Rd. provides a convenient short-cut for motorists between Rock City Rd. and Uplands Drive.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes