[St. John's] Transport development (Highways, Airport, and Public Transit)

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Horsell

Wait...it gets better...here's an item from the traffic committee in this week's Agenda

Recommendation
On a motion by Councillor Tilley; seconded by Councillor Hickman it is recommended
that the roundabout installed on Topsail Road be removed and replaced with a speed
cushion

What's next, a big black hole to swallow up every car going down that road?

What is a speed cushion? Is it different than a speed hump or a speed bump?

I hate to say it, but I hope this doesn't mean the end of roundabouts in the city. This is just going to give people a negative feeling towards them that any more will not be supported in the future.

[delesseps]

Originally Posted by J_Murphy

What is a speed cushion? Is it different than a speed hump or a speed bump?

I hate to say it, but I hope this doesn't mean the end of roundabouts in the city. This is just going to give people a negative feeling towards them that any more will not be supported in the future.

A speed cushion is a speed hump with widely spaced openings so wide-tracked vehicles like ambulances and buses can pass through it unaffected. There's already one on the traffic-calmed section of Topsail Road.

I wish the media and council had been more careful in describing the traffic circle on Topsail Road. As explained in the city's Traffic Calming Policy, the so-called mini roundabout is not the same thing as a modern roundabout. Councillor Puddister was right when he said that intersections can't easily be retrofitted. A modern roundabout, like the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation has been building all over that province, requires lots of space and a specific road geometry. A multi-way stop is the safest option for most existing, low-volume intersections.

[ajcoffey]

Meeting Planned to Discuss Paradise Roundabout

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=46466&latest=1

[delesseps]

Bobbett says aim of the gathering is to explain how the roundabout works. And he says it's going to be big. The biggest in the province, he says, at 60 metres wide.

A 60 m diameter would be a two-lane roundabout designed for highway speeds. That's a much steeper learning curve than a single-lane roundabout with a lower design speed and probably not much safer than the existing intersection. I'm having flashbacks to the Armdale "circular piece of roadway".

[Arrakis]

This will typically go over very badly. Not saying I'm against it but people here are very impatient and drive terribly. There will be accidents and complaints and then the town council will eventually rethink it and change it back to a regular traffic light intersection. That's my prediction.

[Marty_Mcfly]

Originally Posted by delesseps

A 60 m diameter would be a two-lane roundabout designed for highway speeds. That's a much steeper learning curve than a single-lane roundabout with a lower design speed and probably not much safer than the existing intersection. I'm having flashbacks to the Armdale "circular piece of roadway".

2 lane roundabouts are awesome, it's a shame that people around here just don't understand it. There was one on the highway near my old apartment building in Charlottetown, it was a t-intersection with a 70 km/h speed limit, 4 lanes of road going in and out. Signage showing which lane you should be in to go where you want to go is all you need. And people need to understand not to lane change when entering the circle.

People here just need to be introduced to the concept and hopefully they'd figure it out. But then again the folk can't even figure out all-way stops

[Horsell]

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

2 lane roundabouts are awesome, it's a shame that people around here just don't understand it. There was one on the highway near my old apartment building in Charlottetown, it was a t-intersection with a 70 km/h speed limit, 4 lanes of road going in and out. Signage showing which lane you should be in to go where you want to go is all you need. And people need to understand not to lane change when entering the circle.

People here just need to be introduced to the concept and hopefully they'd figure it out. But then again the folk can't even figure out all-way stops

The folks in Dartmouth who are old enough to remember the Mic Mac rotary may not agree with you. I passed through there every day for a number of years and was not sorry to see it converted to a partial cloverleaf. It was great to a point but once the volume hit a certain level it clogged up and everything came to a standstill.

[jeddy1989]

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

2 lane roundabouts are awesome, it's a shame that people around here just don't understand it. There was one on the highway near my old apartment building in Charlottetown, it was a t-intersection with a 70 km/h speed limit, 4 lanes of road going in and out. Signage showing which lane you should be in to go where you want to go is all you need. And people need to understand not to lane change when entering the circle.

People here just need to be introduced to the concept and hopefully they'd figure it out. But then again the folk can't even figure out all-way stops

This is down towards the very end of Kenmount Rd. I honestly think that they'll put it in and people will complain in the beginning and then they'll get used to it and that'll be that. Then they'll probably point to it as a reason to put more proper roundabouts around. GFW has one, we've had one at the landfill for ages... people will just get used to it.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by jeddy1989

This is down towards the very end of Kenmount Rd. I honestly think that they'll put it in and people will complain in the beginning and then they'll get used to it and that'll be that. Then they'll probably point to it as a reason to put more proper roundabouts around. GFW has one, we've had one at the landfill for ages... people will just get used to it.

A lot of people still have no idea how to use the one at the landfill and that is a relatively low volume of traffic to what Kenmount/Karwood drive one will see. People constantly ignore the yield signs, have no idea that once you are in you have the right away and frequently there are people going backwards in it.

I hate to agree with Arrakis on this one because I don't like to be negative and cynical, but I think he is spot on with his prediction.

Anyways, fingered crossed all works out. I hope they use the circular medians to their advantage as well, they are great places for nice landscaping and/or statues.

[Arrakis]

Thanks for agreeing with me but it was not my intention to come across as being negative and cynical but to just predict and state the obvious in this particular situation. Have lived in this city for 52 years so I got an idea of how people will react to change here. Most times they hate it but it's the only way we can progress as a city. I am all for progress and change.

Originally Posted by J_Murphy

A lot of people still have no idea how to use the one at the landfill and that is a relatively low volume of traffic to what Kenmount/Karwood drive one will see. People constantly ignore the yield signs, have no idea that once you are in you have the right away and frequently there are people going backwards in it.

I hate to agree with Arrakis on this one because I don't like to be negative and cynical, but I think he is spot on with his prediction.

Anyways, fingered crossed all works out. I hope they use the circular medians to their advantage as well, they are great places for nice landscaping and/or statues.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

Thanks for agreeing with me but it was not my intention to come across as being negative and cynical but to just predict and state the obvious in this particular situation. Have lived in this city for 52 years so I got an idea of how people will react to change here. Most times they hate it but it's the only way we can progress as a city. I am all for progress and change.

And I didn't intend to say you were either negative or cynical. This point of view may come across as cynical, or also could just be the realistic expectation of our municipal politicians, depending on which way you look at it.

[Townie709]

This is the first real implementation of a large-scale roundabout in the St. John's area. While I think people are going to be uncomfortable with the idea at first, I feel with some education and maybe even an informative commercial or two put out by municipalities this could go well. Not at first, but I think it will work well in the long run. Hopefully it will start a trend to more effectively move traffic around the city

[JCE]

Originally Posted by Townie709

This is the first real implementation of a large-scale roundabout in the St. John's area. While I think people are going to be uncomfortable with the idea at first, I feel with some education and maybe even an informative commercial or two put out by municipalities this could go well. Not at first, but I think it will work well in the long run. Hopefully it will start a trend to more effectively move traffic around the city

Don't forget there is also the one on Hebron way next to the new Canadian Tire. This one should start to be in use around the same time as the one in Paradise.

[Townie709]

That one isn't two lanes though. I think the paradise one will be if I'm not mistaken. I love the Hebron Way roundabout. I go up there and drive in circles sometimes just because

[JCE]

Originally Posted by Townie709

That one isn't two lanes though. I think the paradise one will be if I'm not mistaken. I love the Hebron Way roundabout. I go up there and drive in circles sometimes just because

lol. Im picturing you just going around and around.
This one will defiantly not be as busy as the Paradise one though. Well at least not until the road is extended. From what I understood from something I read a couple years back that the road should eventually continue and run alone the airport fence and exit on majors path.

[J_Murphy]

Seems like Paradise has some serious traffic issues going on at the moment. Does anyone here have to experience this? I just know from listening to CBC in the morning. Everyday it is "there are some serious traffic delays getting out of Paradise". And they are expecting construction to last until the fall! By the time it is over, we will be into winter again.

[delesseps]

Originally Posted by J_Murphy

Seems like Paradise has some serious traffic issues going on at the moment. Does anyone here have to experience this? I just know from listening to CBC in the morning. Everyday it is "there are some serious traffic delays getting out of Paradise". And they are expecting construction to last until the fall! By the time it is over, we will be into winter again.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundla...s-construction-season-ramps-up-1.2658628

I chuckled at Mr. Hynes, who moved his family to CBS to escape the traffic, and Ms. Collins, who used to drive just three minutes to get to Coffee Matters. It reminds me of how my suburbanite family members talk about traffic in Halifax and St. John's. Being in a town where I can walk places, including coffee shops a three minute drive away, is a wonderful thing.

[Marty_Mcfly]

Originally Posted by delesseps

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundla...s-construction-season-ramps-up-1.2658628

I chuckled at Mr. Hynes, who moved his family to CBS to escape the traffic, and Ms. Collins, who used to drive just three minutes to get to Coffee Matters. It reminds me of how my suburbanite family members talk about traffic in Halifax and St. John's. Being in a town where I can walk places, including coffee shops a three minute drive away, is a wonderful thing.

When you only have to walk 3 minutes to get to work why would you even bother drive? Silly suburbanites

[Chew]

So there's something that Air Canada deems worthy of an announcement (and Minister Sulivan thinks is worthy of showing up to) coming up on Monday. This better be good...

Originally Posted by Michael Connors on Twitter - @MikeConnors

Minister Susan Sullivan will be involved in an announcement on a new Air Canada service to St. John's on Monday. #nlpoli

I'll be hugely disappointed if this is something like that useless flight to Moncton.

[Marty_Mcfly]

Originally Posted by Chew

So there's something that Air Canada deems worthy of an announcement (and Minister Sulivan thinks is worthy of showing up to) coming up on Monday. This better be good...

I'll be hugely disappointed if this is something like that useless flight to Moncton.

Please please be a direct flight to somewhere in the USA like Boston. C'mon c'mon!