Roads/Bridges projects/issues

[harls]

Other news.. I heard the temporary bridge structure is now in place at St-Raymond/ A-5 in Hull. They are dismantling the old bridge because it is no longer safe (built in 1969 I believe). It's supposed to be fininshed in November 2010 - cost: $10.5 million.

edit - found a link (french only)

http://www.mtq.gouv.qc.ca/portal/pag...oul_st_raymond

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by harls

What would this thing be (La Verendrye and A-50 in Gatineau)? No Access Northbound to the highway, but a book I have shows a plan to construct off-ramps.

La Vérendrye is a variation of what is called a trumpet interchange I believe.

[eternallyme]

Back to the Hunt Club-Hope Side Road connection, I'm starting to agree that part should be scrapped, with Hunt Club being focused on mobility to the southern part of the urban area. Really, there is no reasonable place to put it given the presence of Stony Swamp. What are traffic volumes like in that area?

[waterloowarrior]

Prince of Wales study extended for additional review
Posted Jan 29, 2010
BY KIMBERLY LOCHHEAD
http://www.emcbarrhaven.ca/20100129/...itional+review


EMC News

The Prince of Wales Dr. environmental assessment study has been extended for additional review, with open houses planned for April, due to the complexity of the project.

The extension is also reportedly a result of the city having not anticipated the amount of work initially involved.

"We need to refine some more of the plan before we can go to the public," explained Valérie Bouillant, senior project manager for the study. "We were supposed to have the open house last year, but at the time we had not completed the design and the impact to private property because there is way more work than we thought there would be. It is a huge project and about three or four times more extensive than a regular study because of its length. We're reacting to work that we find along the way, but we're getting there."

Gloucester-South Nepean ward Coun. Steve Desroches said it is unfortunate the project is taking a longer time to complete, but stressed it is a high priority for the city.

"This is a very long stretch of road at over 10 kilometres and a very complex project given the large number of affected landowners," he added. "It is progressing and they've adjusted some of the public meeting dates so that they have more complete and thorough answers for the public as well as proposals."

In some cases, the City of Ottawa will be acquiring land, he said, and there are residential driveways that connect to Prince of Wales Dr. Coun. Desroches added that the city needs to be sensitive to these residents with property along this particular stretch of road.

"There is going to be work that is undertaken on Prince of Wales Dr. this year from Fairpark Dr. to Woodroffe Ave. as part of the intersection work required for the Strandherd Dr. extension and there will be some widening," he added.

Ms. Bouillant said they are currently looking at how the construction could impact residences along the corridor in terms of access.

"It involves relocating the storm water management system as existing ditches and hydro poles will have to be relocated," she said. "Everything has to be cross-referenced."

The city is also considering introducing local service roads to provide access for these residents.

"Instead of having 10 properties with individual driveways, service roads would make traffic safer and provide better access for residents," explained Ms. Bouillant. "Property owners affected will be receiving a survey package in the next two weeks to comment on the service road."

In addition to residences that could be impacted, the city is also studying any traffic implications caused by the construction and end result of the project.

"City staff are looking very closely at the Hunt Club Rd. and Prince of Wales Dr. intersection because it has a tremendous amount of volume and it is a critical traffic juncture for the city," noted Coun. Desroches. "They need to do their due diligence and are working hard on this project. They have adjusted a few of the consultation dates so that they are in a better position to inform residents."

Once the open house happens in April, a review will be done to integrate public comments into the plan before presenting it to the transportation committee.

"We're doing as much as we can with the time and team we have to cover every aspect in order to present a sound plan with the public," Ms. Bouillant explained. "We're definitely targeting April and working really hard right now to complete a bunch of different loose ends. We really want this study completed this year."

[waterloowarrior]

Orleans roundabout staff report

What's strange is that Waterloo Region and this staff report say that motorists must give way/yield to pedestrians, but the City is saying in the media that pedestrians don't have the right of way

[waterloowarrior]

st. joseph roundabout approved by transportation committee, going to council.. ward councillor will vote against it

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

st. joseph roundabout approved by transportation committee, going to council.. ward councillor will vote against it

How about giving out this to all the naysayers


http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1...056871-8977139

[waterloowarrior]

Councillor Qadri's site has some plans showing the Hazeldean Road widening
http://www.shadqadri.com/plan_trans.htm

not sure how safe I'd feel on these bike lanes

[Richard Eade]

They did the same thing in the Prince of Wales/Strandherd intersection. I didn't understand why they were giving the priority to the cars. When I asked them at the open house, they had no answer. I noticed it had changed the next time I saw diagrams of that intersection.

[Richard Eade]

Take a look at the Carp River plate: Does it look as if the parking lot for the Walter Baker Park is coming out on the short end of things? No access to it from the west. Even the field will have a 'Temporary detour' through its corner.

Why did the driving range warrant a break in the median but not other properties along the south side?

From the east, there are bus stops at Street No 1 and Street No 6, but from the west, you only have Street No 1. And, not a very convenient bus stop at Huntmar, going west.

Where is the provision for the new N/S Arterial or Transitway which was to parallel Huntmar?

Wow, there is still a lot of thinking to be done on this road - but I doubt that that will happen.

[waterloowarrior]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

Take a look at the Carp River plate: Does it look as if the parking lot for the Walter Baker Park is coming out on the short end of things? No access to it from the west. Even the field will have a 'Temporary detour' through its corner.

Why did the driving range warrant a break in the median but not other properties along the south side?

Where is the provision for the new N/S Arterial or Transitway which was to parallel Huntmar?

Wow, there is still a lot of thinking to be done on this road - but I doubt that that will happen.

Those issues would have been determined in the 2002 ESR and the updates that have happened since then. Maybe have been due to traffic counts for the business, future access to the Richcraft property etc

The North South arterial and Transitway are between the North American and Trinity sites. see the text on the right side of this slide

[waterloowarrior]

Originally Posted by Proof Sheet

How about giving out this to all the naysayers


http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1...056871-8977139

Orléans roundabout ‘not going to work,’ critic charges
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Or...437/story.html

BY JOANNE CHIANELLO, THE OTTAWA CITIZENFEBRUARY 4, 2010 12:02 AM


OTTAWA-Brian Watters can’t understand why city officials are so intent on installing a roundabout at the Orléans intersection of St. Joseph and Jeanne d’Arc boulevards.

“That’s a really busy intersection with a hill coming into it,” said the general manager of Mews Chev Olds on St. Joseph Boulevard, not far from the intersection. “Our society’s built on a grid pattern and you’re asking a lot of people to learn to change their whole way of driving. Why take the chance?”

Watters said he would rather the money be spent on adding bicycle lanes along St. Joseph or even installing more attractive sidewalks.

But the $1.7-million, one-way, multi-lane roundabout is likely to move ahead, even though the city councillor for the area plans to vote against it.

Considering city council’s transportation committee Wednesday voted unanimously in favour of the roundabout, Councillor Bob Monette said he can’t see why it won’t be approved by council as early as next week. And yet, he’s received 25 e-mails against the idea, and only two in favour. He also canvassed most businesses along St. Joseph Boulevard who largely echoed Watters’ skepticism of the idea.

Roundabouts are growing in popularity in North America, and there are about 15 in Ottawa, according to city staff. But there are few multi-lane roundabouts in the city.

The arguments in favour of the European traffic system include that they slow drivers down as they pass through the intersection while still increasing the capacity of the roads; they reduce the number and severity of collisions; and they reduce emissions because cars don’t idle at red lights.

But despite the studies, many remain unconvinced. Bruce Morgan, an Orléans resident and a lawyer with Gowlings, told the committee that because the proposed roundabout is only 50 metres wide — it was designed to fit inside the existing intersection as the deadline doesn’t allow enough time to purchase more property to make the roundabout bigger — it won’t accommodate the traffic.

“It’s a nice romantic idea,” he told the committee. “It’s going to look pretty. It’s not going to work.”

Monette said that traffic at the St. Joseph and Jeanne d’Arc intersection is bumper to bumper during morning and evening rush hours, “so I don’t see how you’re going to get it to go any slower than it’s going now.”

He’s also concerned about how and where pedestrians will cross the intersection and how cyclists will navigate it. As for re-learning to drive, the city received $100,000 in funding from Transport Canada for a public education campaign on the use of roundabouts. That may include a short video that shows a mostly empty roundabout in Waterloo, which Monette called “cute, but corny.”

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen




I also prefer the traditional grid pattern found throughout Orleans.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

[B]

I also prefer the traditional grid pattern found throughout Orleans.

There actually isn't much left of the traditional grid pattern in Orleans. You have to look hard, but some remnants are still there. St-Joseph and the older cross streets like Belcourt, Boyer, St-Jean, Edgar-Brault, Cousineau, St-Pierre and Maisonneuve. As well as Notre-Dame which is parallel to St-Joseph, and also Champlain which used to run all the way up to St-Joseph until Place d'Orléans was expanded over it.

That was the basis for what was originally a small town of a few thousand people.

A massive, curvy, suburban-style street pattern was then superimposed on the traditional grid, centred on curvilinear suburban arterials like Jeanne-d'Arc and Orleans Blvd.

[Proof Sheet]

This whole scaremongering about how to use a roundabout is getting rather silly. They have been proven to be useful to keep traffic moving and avoid stopping for a red light at 2 am when there is no other traffic around.

If you want to see a wicket roundabout check this out...now this would be fun to foist upon Ottawa overnight.

http://maps.google.com/maps?source=i...03484&t=k&z=19

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Swindon)

People make special trips to see this roundabout....now maybe the Orleans Tourism Board could get the idea.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Proof Sheet

This whole scaremongering about how to use a roundabout is getting rather silly. They have been proven to be useful to keep traffic moving and avoid stopping for a red light at 2 am when there is no other traffic around.

If you want to see a wicket roundabout check this out...now this would be fun to foist upon Ottawa overnight.

http://maps.google.com/maps?source=i...03484&t=k&z=19

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Swindon)

People make special trips to see this roundabout....now maybe the Orleans Tourism Board could get the idea.

Good points. Humans living in Orleans are built according to the same prototype as those living in Gatineau or Swindon, with two arms, two legs, etc.

If other humans can learn - they can too!

[Acajack]

In an article in LeDroit, Clive Doucet is quoted as saying he hopes that the Orleans roundabout is "more attractive" (Acajack translation) than those along boulevard des Allumettières in Gatineau:

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-droit/a...-a-orleans.php

Now, people may have issues with the design of the Allumettières roundabouts, but I would argue they are quite attractive, and the lush landscaping along the road makes it one of the nicer stretches of urban arterial road in Ottawa-Gatineau, especially in summer.

[Dado]

The grid-pattern comment is just so... dumb.

For one, with respect to Orleans, it's clearly not true.

For another, even if it was, how does that in any way invalidate the use of a roundabout?

In the particular case of St. Joseph and Jeanne d'Arc, much emphasis is being given to the fact that the intersection is at the bottom of a couple of hills. So what? Maybe the roundabout will force drivers to slow down instead of gunning it down the hill to try to make a stale green light...

And it's only 50 metres wide since it has to fit inside the existing intersection footprint. I mean, wow, that sure is one small roundabout. It's 2½ times the width of a standard road RoW, but it's still small.

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Good points. Humans living in Orleans are built according to the same prototype as those living in Gatineau or Swindon, with two arms, two legs, etc.

If other humans can learn - they can too!

Exactly.....after all is said and done and this roundabout is built, people will wonder what all the fuss is about.

Honestly, I can't believe this is getting the public notice/dialogue that it is receiving.

The roundabouts in Hull are quite nice.....every time I've been on them I always sense I am the only one using their turn signal. When you approach the roundabout, signal as if you are making a right turn. When you are in the roundabout, if you are getting off at the next road, keep your right turn signal on. If you are going to get off at the 2nd or 3rd exit, have your left turn indicator on until you pass the last road before your exit....Once you have passed that last turn, flip it to your right turn indicator. Simple, really once you get used to it.

[harls]

I don't think I've ever seen someone use turn signals at those roundabouts.

While we're talking about road safety - the people using the crosswalks nearby have buttons to activate a red light, but most of the time they choose to wait for the cars to pass and then run frantically across the street when no one is coming... it is weird how people prioritize vehicular traffic over pedestrian. I guess they are thinking "no one is going to stop for me, I better wait until the coast is clear"..

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by harls

I don't think I've ever seen someone use turn signals at those roundabouts.

I'm the only one every time I've been there...ditto for the ones in other areas (Barrhaven/Almonte/Kemptville)....if you don't use those kind of turn signals in the UK on a roundabout, you would fail your driving test.