Sidewalk renewal in Moncton’s downtown is planned due to deterioration.
During a Committee of the Whole meeting this week, city council members heard that the red bricks along Main Street and other downtown streets were installed in the mid-1980s.
Director of Engineering René Lagacé explained that the poor quality walking surface is a concern for pedestrians and others.
This has also meant increased maintenance and cost. In the 2025 capital budget, $250,000 was approved for brick sidewalk renewal.
Lagacé says new paving bricks will be used, in three new colours.
“Beige would be your main walking area, the grey would be an amenity strip that would be installed along the curb, and the brown would be used as an accent colour to break up the patterns. The brown is also based on the Petitcodiac River colour that was designed to match the riverbank,” he says.
The city also plans to install trees, which Lagacé says is always a benefit for the downtown.
He adds that the section that is immediately in need of repair is between Assomption Boulevard and Lutz Street.
“This is the section where we have the most patios. We would likely target the months of September, October, and November for the installation to minimize the impact that this project could have on patio and festival seasons,” Lagacé says.
The budgeted amount for future renewals would be around $500,000 per year to catch up on the remaining sidewalk renewals in the downtown.
Council voted unanimously in favour at Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, but the decision will still need to be ratified at the August council meeting.
