It’s not very often that a municipal traffic engineer has the opportunity to design and build a street that is not in a retro-fit situation.
By Darren Charters P.Eng., Traffic Engineer, City of Fredericton
This article examines the birth and transformation of a roadway to a complete street.
Cliffe Street is a 3km major north / south corridor located on the north side of Fredericton, New Brunswick. It serves as a major connection to the Westmorland Street Bridge spanning the St. John River.
Originally constructed in 1999-2000 as a two-lane cross-section with no curbs, sidewalks or turning lanes at major intersections within a 40m public ROW, the street was intended to facilitate the construction of a new high school. It was later extended to provide a better connection to Marysville, in the north east end of the City. Over time, curbs and sidewalks were added to the westerly side of the roadway as development materialized and the demand for a pedestrian facility increased. The corridor has now developed significantly and is home to a high school, an elementary school, a major sports complex (Willie O’Ree Place), and several, high density residential developments.
As traffic volumes increased, the street expanded to a typical four-lane divided facility with turning lanes at major intersections, controlled by traffic signals. In 2013, engineering staff decided to revisit the original “cookie cutter” design. The consultant for this project, Exp Services, was brought in to create a design indicative of a complete street, where all modes of transportation would be available to the public.
The first step was to complete an existing condition operational analysis and a future (20-year) needs assessment. Once completed, the consultant was able to develop a design concept that addressed all future operational needs for each unique section of the Cliffe Street corridor. The final design included wide landscaped medians, a paved, multiuse trail along the east side of the street, and roundabouts at major intersections.
Other design features included increased pedestrian crossing opportunities, mountable median curbing and built-in bus bays at strategic locations along the corridor.
Adjustments were made to the original design concept based on input from stakeholders (transit, operations, emergency services) before the plan was presented to City Council and the general public.
Late in 2013, the revised concept was presented to Council and received overwhelming support, and as a result, staff was given the direction to proceed with the implementation. Although the construction of the upgraded roadway will happen over a period of time, some components of the plan will be built in the near future, including at least one roundabout and the paved multi-use trail along the west side of the street.
The City of Fredericton is committed to developing a transportation network that includes all forms of transportation. Other small municipalities are encouraged to think outside of the box when undertaking similar planning and roadway design projects. As the Fredericton plan becomes a reality, residents will benefit from additional, convenient and healthy options to travel in and around this beautiful City.
Thank you to our Premier Sponsors
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