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

[jjavman]

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/...e&guccounter=1

[jjavman]

Recommendation now before council to make the change permanent.

https://vocm.com/2020/03/07/rawlins-cross-roundabout/

[Marty_Mcfly]

I think they should keep the traffic circle (with enhanced pedestrian safety measures of course) since it simplifies the intersection. However I don't actually think it helps much with traffic flow during peak rush hour traffic. I've had to drive through there a few times on morning commutes, and traffic on Military Road backs up quite a bit since there's a lot of traffic feeding into the circle from the smaller roads, causing quite a bit of congestion and long lines of cars waiting on the main street through the neighbourhood.

However, the traffic circle greatly improves the previous nightmare mess of Rawlins Cross, and at non-peak hours traffic flow is great.

[PoscStudent]

The city has recently removed a bunch of metre heads downtown and last week started putting up two hour max parking signs. As someone who works in an office building downtown I know that a lot of people aren’t impressed. While I fully understand that the city wants to make sure there is parking for people who want to shop in the downtown area, I think they really need to figure out a parking solution for those who work downtown.

[overboard]

The answer is parking garages or alternate transportation. Meters were never for workers. You weren't technically allowed to top them up, the meter just wouldn't stop you. This is the same in most cities I've been.

[eliza]

Happy to see the Hebron Way Extension to Majors Path on the St. John's bids site. With Exxon moving in the increased traffic will need a way out besides the one exit to Torbay Road.

https://bids.stjohns.ca/Module/Tende...8-7a97f95a0fbf

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by eliza

Happy to see the Hebron Way Extension to Majors Path on the St. John's bids site. With Exxon moving in the increased traffic will need a way out besides the one exit to Torbay Road.

https://bids.stjohns.ca/Module/Tende...8-7a97f95a0fbf

Interesting to see a provision there for "future TCH access" on the south part of the roundabout on Majors Path.

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by overboard

The answer is parking garages or alternate transportation. Meters were never for workers. You weren't technically allowed to top them up, the meter just wouldn't stop you. This is the same in most cities I've been.

Not everyone can afford $150 a month to park in a garage. I believe the city is charging $140 for some of the permit parking. And alternate transportation isn’t an option for everyone. Metro Bus is not a great service, and many people will still need to find somewhere to park in order to get the bus.

I agree that metres were not meant for workers, but the city should still try and find an affordable option for workers downtown. Our office is looking at moving out of the downtown and people are delighted simply because parking is so much trouble. I love every other aspect of working downtown and local businesses make several hundred dollars off of me a month because of it, but I can’t wait to get out of here simply due to parking.

It seems like parking for employees has been a consideration for other businesses that have moved out of the downtown, so this won’t be good for our already high vacancy rates.

[jthetzel]

Originally Posted by jjavman

Recommendation now before council to make the change permanent.

https://vocm.com/2020/03/07/rawlins-cross-roundabout/

Committee of the Whole votes against Rawlins Cross roundabout, despite staff recommendation in favour and fifty percent reduction in collisions.

Breen, explaining his vote against, stated, "we look at the data and the recommendation we are given but we have to balance that with what we hear from the public through the formal engagement process and the informal engagement process."

In epidemiology, the "engagement process" would be an example of selection bias.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfo...ross-1.5493832

[overboard]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

Not everyone can afford $150 a month to park in a garage. I believe the city is charging $140 for some of the permit parking. And alternate transportation isn’t an option for everyone. Metro Bus is not a great service, and many people will still need to find somewhere to park in order to get the bus.

I agree that metres were not meant for workers, but the city should still try and find an affordable option for workers downtown. Our office is looking at moving out of the downtown and people are delighted simply because parking is so much trouble. I love every other aspect of working downtown and local businesses make several hundred dollars off of me a month because of it, but I can’t wait to get out of here simply due to parking.

It seems like parking for employees has been a consideration for other businesses that have moved out of the downtown, so this won’t be good for our already high vacancy rates.

Weren't meters $1.25-$1.50/hour? If you timed it perfectly and only paid for 7 hours/day that's $175-$210/month. Am I counting wrong?

[jjavman]

Originally Posted by overboard

Weren't meters $1.25-$1.50/hour? If you timed it perfectly and only paid for 7 hours/day that's $175-$210/month. Am I counting wrong?

*Bazinga!

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by overboard

Weren't meters $1.25-$1.50/hour? If you timed it perfectly and only paid for 7 hours/day that's $175-$210/month. Am I counting wrong?

Well many metres were broken so people were parking for free, which is not right either.

Turns out it’s $114 for a permit downtown to park on the road. You’re not guaranteed a spot though.

[Offshore1]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfo...path-1.5531942

Still a worthwhile project, even with Costco gone to Galway.
Hopefully it has the desired effect of easing up traffic on Torbay Road, not that there is much currently due to the pandemic, but whenever things return to some semblance of normal.

[Horsell]

This extension has been planned for years, long before Costco and others left/closed, but is this the time for the City to spend $4 mil after going millions over budget on snow clearing and with the pandemic on-going. Deferring one more year shouldn't hurt at this point.

[IronMan]

Originally Posted by Horsell

This extension has been planned for years, long before Costco and others left/closed, but is this the time for the City to spend $4 mil after going millions over budget on snow clearing and with the pandemic on-going. Deferring one more year shouldn't hurt at this point.

Why should they defer this project?Traffic on Torbay Road is still a problem. Studies since Coast left shows that the traffic on Torbay Road remains the same, also showing that most Costco traffic took the outer ring road to Aberdeen, and exited via the same exit. Other businesses in the area don't report a big change in business. Stores that closed (Target, Bowering, Bombay and now Pier One) all did so because the chain was closing out, as all were apparently successful here in St. John's. Target was actually one of, if not the best performer in the country.

I think they should proceed as planned, as this will help traffic in this area, and support the development on Hebron Way.

Right now we just need this pandemic to end.

Stay safe.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by IronMan

Why should they defer this project?Traffic on Torbay Road is still a problem. Studies since Coast left shows that the traffic on Torbay Road remains the same, also showing that most Costco traffic took the outer ring road to Aberdeen, and exited via the same exit. Other businesses in the area don't report a big change in business. Stores that closed (Target, Bowering, Bombay and now Pier One) all did so because the chain was closing out, as all were apparently successful here in St. John's. Target was actually one of, if not the best performer in the country.

I think they should proceed as planned, as this will help traffic in this area, and support the development on Hebron Way.

Right now we just need this pandemic to end.

Stay safe.

Agreed. Now is the perfect time to be doing road work with the reduction in traffic.

Let's not forget that there have been hundreds of offices added to Hebron Way in the past few years, with many more to come. So I think the notion that Costco leaving has resulted in a reduction of traffic in the area is false. If anything, it reduces the weekend traffic only.

I noticed one of the design drawings said potential future connection straight to the ORR. I almost think that is needed to support the traffic that will otherwise end up on Majors Path that won't be able to handle it.

[Horsell]

I'm not questioning the NEED for this extension, just the timing of it and the cost that perhaps the City can't afford at this time. As a St. John's taxpayer I just don't think I can afford it right now. Perhaps the Town of Torbay might like to cost share it. (Having said that, I'm assuming this is cost shared with other levels of government, or I hope it is)

[IronMan]

Originally Posted by Horsell

I'm not questioning the NEED for this extension, just the timing of it and the cost that perhaps the City can't afford at this time. As a St. John's taxpayer I just don't think I can afford it right now. Perhaps the Town of Torbay might like to cost share it. (Having said that, I'm assuming this is cost shared with other levels of government, or I hope it is)

I see your point, as this is a crazy time for sure. This has been in the works for a while, so I assume the money has been reserved for it. Also, doing roadwork at a time when traffic is unusually lighter is a good idea, as long as it can be done while ensuring the safety of the workers. I have friends who commute out of Torbay so it will be great to see this addressed; and despite what many think, the Hebron Way area is a growth area.

Related to this, I believe the plan is to eventually connect this road to the RCAF road. There is a road that exits the roundabout on Hebron Way that goes down behind the Canadian Tire to a dead end. To my understanding this will eventually connect to the RCAF road providing another route to the Torbay side of the airport. Then, the road will cross Torbay Road at the existing intersection and connect with Aberdeen Road behind the new Aberdeen Square building currently under construction. I don't know if this will ever happen, but I believe this is the master plan. (The intersection at RACF Road and Torbay Road, which was moved a couple of years ago, has the turnoff for this already in place, but the road is obviously not there.)

[jjavman]

https://www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2020/exec/0417n03/

[Offshore1]

From the Telegram:
https://www.thetelegram.com/news/loc...t-126m-442832/