[Moncton] Northwest/Magnetic Hill Developments

[micks5477]

Originally Posted by JasonL-Moncton

Does anyone know when Goodlife on Trinity is supposed to open? It's looking like it's getting close when you drive by...

It looks like the outer structure is done but the whole interior need to be worked on yet.

[MonctonRad]

The first tenant for the new phase of Hasting's Ridge has been revealed.

Nothing spectacular though - Metro Audiology Services.

[micks5477]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The first tenant for the new phase of Hasting's Ridge has been revealed.

Nothing spectacular though - Metro Audiology Services.

Sign is also now up for Metro Sound & Speech Centre in the new phase of Hasting's Ridge.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by micks5477

Sign is also now up for Metro Sound & Speech Centre in the new phase of Hasting's Ridge.

That's actually the same business, sorry. Metro Sound and Speech offers audiology services.

[micks5477]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

That's actually the same business, sorry. Metro Sound and Speech offers audiology services.

Yes, I am fully aware that it is the same business. I was just making note that the sign is now up as Metro Sound and Speech.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by micks5477

Yes, I am fully aware that it is the same business. I was just making note that the sign is now up as Metro Sound and Speech.

Didn't mean to offend micks, just wanted to make sure that readers of the thread not familiar with the area were clear on the fact we were talking about the same business.

[josh_cat_eyes]

The land next to the Hampton now has a sold sign on it! I noticed when I drove by today moving to the city from PEI!

In other news a very reliable source tells me that the Motel 6 is changing to a Quality Inn.

[MonctonRad]

The multi year project to widen, curb and install sidewalks on Ryan Street is finally complete. The only thing left is to add some topcoat asphalt next year on the last section just to the south of Northrup Frye School.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The multi year project to widen, curb and install sidewalks on Ryan Street is finally complete. The only thing left is to add some topcoat asphalt next year on the last section just to the south of Northrup Frye School.

Being new to the city and living in that end of town, I wonder how much traffic would be defered from mountain road if Ryan was reconnected across wheeler?

[micks5477]

Signage for Metro Sound & Speech at the new phase of Hasting's Ridge.

[MonctonRad]

I see there is now new signage at the entrance into the Hastings Ridge plaza. It was a bit incongruous before that this plaza had no signage while every other plaza on Mountain Road was fully adorned. I guess they saw the light.....

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

Being new to the city and living in that end of town, I wonder how much traffic would be defered from mountain road if Ryan was reconnected across wheeler?

I think a reconnected Ryan could make a lot of difference to inbound traffic on Mountain Road in the morning. It would siphon off traffic from Hildegarde/Evergreen/Kingswood etc and deposit it onto Mountain on the other side of Wheeler. This would be an efficient way to decrease congestion at the Mountain/Wheeler interchange.

The case for a net benefit for a reconnected Ryan for outbound traffic is a lot murkier. The intersection of the existing rump Ryan to Mountain Road inside Wheeler is extremely close to the Wheeler/Mountain interchange, and outbound traffic trying to get onto Ryan would have to turn left to access the street. This would necessitate a new left turning lane on Mountain Road, and another set of lights (on a section of Mountain where there already are four sets of signals in barely 250-300M of roadway). This might paradoxically cause increased congestion for outbound traffic.

Do I think it's a good idea? Perhaps. It would be expensive (another overpass over Wheeler), but would improve inbound traffic flow. Outbound flow would not be helped, and could in fact be harmed, unless creative solutions were considered.

[mylesmalley]

I'm not suggesting this is a good idea, but this would be a lot easier than trying something with Ryan Road. a bridge that connects up to Mountain isn't going to do anything to improve traffic on that road - you'd just be getting the diverted traffic to join a little further down than it normally would have. This option would bypass Mountain altogether. Once Twin Oaks is connected to the roundabout on Ryan, getting out of the North End while avoiding Mountain would be a lot easier.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Miles I think your option is going to have to happen eventually! I was on wheeler and wanted to go to Ryan, but had to go in mountain and then to Hilidgard before Ryan. It would have been a lot easier to just get off on a seperate interchange for Ryan.

[mylesmalley]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

Miles I think your option is going to have to happen eventually! I was on wheeler and wanted to go to Ryan, but had to go in mountain and then to Hilidgard before Ryan. It would have been a lot easier to just get off on a seperate interchange for Ryan.

You would have been better off exiting Wheeler at Berry Mills Rd, and turning up Horseman.

It has always struck me that Wheeler Blvd isn't used nearly to the extent that it could be.

[micks5477]

New signage at the entrance into the Hastings Ridge plaza.

[mctnguy]

Miles, your idea would work very well if that wooded area were to be developed into more retail space.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by mctnguy

Miles, your idea would work very well if that wooded area were to be developed into more retail space.

Even if it was just residential area it would be great. I just think it's important for Wheeler to hook up to Ryan.

[chriskayTO]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

I just think it's important for Wheeler to hook up to Ryan.

I sincerely doubt that will happen in the foreseeable future - not only would it be very expensive, but the proximity to Mountain Rd would probably not leave enough space for proper ramps.

Not only that, but I'm not sure that folks on the west side of Wheeler would not want high speed traffic roaring off the highway into their neighbourhood.

[mylesmalley]

It need not necessarily be that expensive, relatively speaking. The new road could go right over Wheeler before it goes up the hill to cross over Mountain. Putting it there wouldn't require expropriating a huge amount of land or houses either. As for sound - that's what berms and sound walls are for.

I specifically wouldn't want it connected on the south side of Wheeler because then it would just turn into a throughway for people avoiding Mountain. This way, traffic is being fed on to Wheeler and gives an alternative to Mountain for getting out of the north end. From an active transportation point of view, it could be used as a route for a dedicated bike / walking trail that would greatly improve the accessibility of that end of Mountain (especially NBCC and the malls) and would be easy to connect to the Northwest Trail and from there the rest of the city. As it stands right now, the whole north end from Hildergard down to Vaughan Harvey is a bicycling nightmare because of how dangerous Mountain is.