Traffic consultants Hatch Mott McDonald were meeting with paradise council to discuss the issues surrounding the traffic congestion on topsail road. Quick youtube vid of east bound traffic during morning rush hour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGtuVhQ122w
Suggestions were brought forth to remove the traffic lights under the ORR overpass on topsail road and prevent access to the ORR east bound. This would force drivers heading east down topsail, then onto kenmount to the bruce street ORR onramp. Unfortunatley, a dedicated lane wasn't designed from topsail road along kenmount to bruce st on the new kenmount/topsail overpass, so traffic heading up from topsail to kenmount west has to merge with kenmount traffic.
Few problems with removing the lights. Traffic heading down the off ramps from the ORR attempting to turn left on to topsail road would be extremely difficult.
Also, the merge lane on the ORR from bruce st to the topsail rd off ramp is relatively short. Most NL drivers have trouble merging on a good day, let alone with the cross over traffic that would exist there.
To late for a clover style on/off ramp for ORR and topsail rd.
Anyone else enountering these problems? On a bad day I might be stuck on topsail rd between trails end and the ORR for 12 mins. Any suggestions? Karwood to kenmount extension is also an option but is usually blocked due to the paradise elementary backlog. Word has it karwood drive is being upgraded this summer so hopefully that'll include a longer turning lane for those entering the school parking lot, allowing traffic to flow freely between topsail road and kenmount extension