Midtown Gateway Project

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The Midtown Gateway Project is transforming a legacy brownfield site impacted by past industrial activity into a revitalized neighbourhood gateway. It features new complete street transportation corridors, a new naturalized storm water wetland with public walking trails, and enhanced access to our premier recreation complex - Beban Park.

Once fully completed, the Midtown Gateway Project will:

  • Restore a wetland impacted by historical coal mining activity,
  • Create over 2km of new off-street active transportation pathways,
  • Enhance accessibility to Beban Park,
  • Create a public natural area with walking trails, that will also serve as a detention pond during storm events,
  • Unlock a development site for a signature commercial and residential gateway development to the City,
  • Create a new transportation network that will increase the safety and comfort for people who walk, bike, take transit, and drive, and
  • Improve the safe flow of commercial and industrial goods.

Progress Update

While construction is expected to continue until next summer, a major milestone has been passed. On September 25, a new section of Boxwood Road and the new Powder Works Road opened to the public, providing a new connection to between Northfield Road and Rosstown Road for vehicle traffic, cyclists, pedestrians and the #30 bus.

Powder Works Road now replaces the Bowen and Rosstown intersection as the new access point for Rosstown Road. Vehicle access to Rosstown Road from Bowen Road is now permanently closed.

Affected transit users should refer to the new Rider’s Guide on the RDN Transit website.

The opening of the new traffic-signal-controlled intersection on Bowen Road has been delayed until late January 2025.

Please exercise caution, obey all signs placed for your safety, and follow the directions of any flag persons on duty.

CURRENT TRAFFIC ADVISORIES

Here are the latest traffic disruptions to be aware of:

From December 9 to 13:
  1. Boxwood Road, south of Northfield Road, will be reduced to single lane alternating traffic during regular working hours. Expect delays.  Some of the on-street parking has now been permanently removed, please refer to map below. 
  2. Bowen Road, between Northfield Road and Labieux Road, will be 4 lane traffic but remain as temporary surface conditions over the winter. Please slow down and watch for signage. Southbound left turn lane into Beban Plaza is now closed.  Please use alternate access. All businesses remain open and accessible during construction.   
  3. The south access of Beban Park will remain closed 24 hours per day. Please use alternate park access. All park amenities and programs remain open and accessible.
  4. Watch for temporary surface conditions at the intersection of Boxwood Road and Northfield Road. There are still improvements to be completed as construction continues. Please use caution and expect delays.
  5. Vehicle access to/from Rosstown Road at Bowen Road is now permanently closed. Please use Powder Works Road to access Rosstown Road.  
  6. All businesses remain open and accessible.

For your safety, please obey all signs and traffic control persons. Give yourself extra time and expect delays.

Thank you for your patience!

Want to Know More?

Check out the recent construction photos gallery, or the additional information under the tabs below.

Or contact us at midtowngateway@nanaimo.ca

Gallery

  • Progress

    Phase 1 (Complete)

    Phase 1 was completed in 2019 and included site cleanup, environmental remediation, initial ground improvements and construction of a new engineered wetland that also serves as a storm water pond. 

    Phase 2A (Complete)

    Phase 2A started construction August of 2022 and was completed in January 2024. Phase 2A included final ground improvements, underground municipal utilities and installation of two large diameter water supply mains.

    One of the first construction activities that was completed during Phase 2A was Rapid Impact Compaction to further compact the soils beneath the future road corridors. Rapid Impact Compaction, or RIC for short, is a specialized soil compaction technique that involves using an excavator fitted with a hydraulic hammer to repeatedly strike an impact plate.  A brief video of this work can be found here.

    The large diameter water supply mains included in this phase connected to the Midtown Water Supply Upgrades Project. Learn more about this project at www.nanaimo.ca/goto/MidtownWater

    Phase 2B (Current)

    Windley Contracting Ltd., working on behalf of the City of Nanaimo, started construction of Phase 2B in March 2024.  This final phase includes construction of the final surface works, including new roadways and active transportation infrastructure, new and improved intersections and traffic signals, public walking trails, an enhanced access into Beban Park, and upgrades to underground utilities on Rosstown Road.  Construction is expected to last until Fall 2025.

     

  • Documents

    Construction Notices

    Click  here for a copy of the Phase 2B construction startup notice that was delivered to the area surrounding the project site in March 2024.

    Nanaimo Transportation Master Plan

    The Boxwood Connector, which is part of the Midtown Gateway project, was identified as a major road improvement project in the 2014 Nanaimo Transportation Master Plan

    Official Community Plan

    The Official Community Plan identifies the project area as an important corridor and envisions a mix of commercial and residential development. Given the geotechnical and environmental challenges, the site has remained undeveloped leaving a large brownfield property in a prominent gateway location.

     

  • Details

    Below are some infographics for the Midtown Gateway Project.

  • Background
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