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

[goodgrowth]

First phase of St. John’s airport expansion ready to open within weeks:
http://www.thetelegram.com/business/...-weeks-208985/

[goodgrowth]

Realignment Of Polina, Kenmount Expected To Begin Next Month:
http://vocm.com/news/realignment-of-...in-next-month/

[wmemeadusjr]

This intersection realignment has been talked about for 5 years now. I'm at the point now that I don't believe a word I hear about it ever being done. I can care less if they say it's now going to tender. I'll believe it all when I see it. LOL

[rthomasd]

Yes, it could easily fall off the rails. If the tender comes in too high and the Mall doesn't agree to pay more for their part, what then?

The Mayor says the project should run from June through November. I hope they can do the
Polina Rd / Mall Entrance part first and have the traffic disruptions over with before September.

[Offshore1]

Originally Posted by rthomasd

Yes, it could easily fall off the rails. If the tender comes in too high and the Mall doesn't agree to pay more for their part, what then?

The Mayor says the project should run from June through November. I hope they can do the
Polina Rd / Mall Entrance part first and have the traffic disruptions over with before September.

Brutal. This has been talked about long enough that the tender should have been out and a contract awarded so that construction could have started at the 1st of this month.

What would be so difficult about the city or provincial government going to tender in the winter, say February, awarding a contract in March or April so that construction could begin ASAP in spring? I'll never understand the late start - work till snow flies approach.

[Arrakis]

The new Orange Store & Gas Station/Tim Hortons at the airport is now opened.

[rthomasd]

Gov announced closure of Team Gushue ramp to Kenmount Road for a month or so - hopefully this indicates a start of the roadwork north of Kenmount.

[jjavman]

Originally Posted by rthomasd

Gov announced closure of Team Gushue ramp to Kenmount Road for a month or so - hopefully this indicates a start of the roadwork north of Kenmount.

We live in hope

[rthomasd]

It appears that the contractor ( Municipal Construction ) is mobalizing equipment to sites along the TGH path - at Blackmarsh/Redmonds they have resumed work on the roundabout with new fill in the middle and power pole realignment with some new drainage blocks and piping; equipment on site at Old Penneywell/Collector Rd and there appears to be new gravel being spread north of New Penneywell Rd towards Kenmount.

[jjavman]

Working today on a Saturday!

Fine crushed stone in Northbound lane from Pennywell Collector to finished portion. Also working on drains today.


Looking South from Pennywell underpass



Looking North from Pennywell Underpass

[Marty_Mcfly]

I can't remember if you've told us this before or not, but are you working on the highway in some capacity?

[jjavman]

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

I can't remember if you've told us this before or not, but are you working on the highway in some capacity?

No I am not Mr. McFly; just an impatient potential user like a lot of us! ;-)
I perhaps should have started my post with "They are" working on a Saturday.

[IronMan]

Originally Posted by jjavman

No I am not Mr. McFly; just an impatient potential user like a lot of us! ;-)
I perhaps should have started my post with "They are" working on a Saturday.

Looks like they are preparing for lighting? Is this the case? If so, I wonder how much of the road will be lit?

[Offshore1]

Originally Posted by jjavman

No I am not Mr. McFly; just an impatient potential user like a lot of us! ;-)
I perhaps should have started my post with "They are" working on a Saturday.

I concur, another "impatient potential user" here. Great photos. Nice to see some visible progress, hope it continues.

[statbass]

There also seems to be quite a bit of work being done on the Kenmount West exit. I pass by it most days on my way to work.

[jjavman]

Here are fresh pics of the ramp Northbound from Topsail lights to TGH.

Looking West towards mall and gap left for ramp underpass.




Looking South as ramp continues to loop Northbound.

[goodgrowth]

Right so that overpass for the ramp is barely even touched yet. Curious why they seem to be leaving it to the very end? Maybe it won't take that long to build?

[rthomasd]

I don't believe that overpass has been included in the tenders. If they started now, it would be next year
before it's done.

There's lots of work at Kenmount to add the new loops, looks to be done in the next month or so. The roadbed of the collector road at Old Penneywell looks ready for some gravel, although all the equipment and blasting mats have been removed.

Google has updated streetview to May 2018 for some areas of St. John's, although not completely linked in. If you go to the Blackmarsh Rd / Redmond's Rd intersection and stop, then 'look' towards Redmond's, the view changes to May 2018 and you can see the roundabout and travel up Redmond's across the new overpass, etc. This trick also works at the Airport entrance.

[goodgrowth]

Metrobus unveils 'smart kiosks':
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...logy-1.4706674

The Metrobus service in St. John's is setting up a series of "smart" kiosks that will allow bus users to get Wi-Fi and charge their phones while waiting for their ride.

The first of five planned kiosks was unveiled Thursday near a bus shelter next to the Homeport Hotel on Torbay Road.

Another kiosk is planned for across the street, with three others coming over the summer at locations downtown and on Kelsey Drive.

The aluminum, weatherproof kiosks have touch screens where passengers can also get real-time bus updates and call emergency services.

Wi-Fi is available in a 70-metre zone around the hub.

[rthomasd]

Progress on TGH
They are forming the concrete divider going south from Kenmount Rd and are almost to the overpass at Old Pennywell Rd.


Looks like a pad for the overpass is being started at Topsail/Sobey Square -