By Chris Day
Wider sidewalks, more speed humps, slower traffic and, according to some people, more unnecessary hassles.
At a recent meeting, area residents got their first look at proposals outlined in the second phase of the Centretown Traffic Calming Plan which was funded, designed and approved by the city and regional councils.
“(This plan) means big improvements on the affected roads,” says Somerset regional Councillor Diane Holmes. “The roads as they are now are unsafe for pedestrians, cyclists and children going to school.”
Kent Street and Flora Street are set to change the most.
Concrete islands called mid-block narrowings will be added to on Kent Street. The islands will jut into parking lanes to shelter cars parked near intersections.
Raised intersections will be installed on Kent Street at McLaren, Arlington, McLeod, Flora, Florence and James streets to slow traffic, to make crossing easier for people with mobility problems and to improve drainage.
On Flora Street, the plan is to open the 80 metres closest to Bank Street to traffic in both directions. Residents will also see more speed humps like the ones installed two years ago on Lyon Street.
“We want to make these roads less highway-like,” says Holmes. “And we need to change these environments to change driver behaviour.”
The modifications will slow speeds, and Holmes says, give roads that are currently “urban blights” much needed facelifts.
But, according to some , this latest set of proposals places fashion over function.
Rob Orchin, manager of the city’s transportation division, says that while the pilot project of the installation of speed humps on roads like Lyon Street have reduced speeds, there are downsides. He says snow removal on roads with speed humps and the mid-block narrowings takes its toll.
“The life of a typical road is about 20 years,” says Orchin. “But there’s only a seven-year life expectancy on roads with speed humps.
“The costs really add up.”
A formal analysis of the Lyon Street traffic calming measures won’t be completed until the spring, after a decision on phase two has to be made for work to start in the summer.
The plans were met with mixed reactions by 50 or so area residents that attended each of the meetings, which were held Nov. 25 and Nov. 29 and hosted jointly by the city and the region.
Paul Gross of Flora Street says even though he’s seen the plans, he hasn’t had time to form an opinion on them.