Expect delays when travelling between the north end and the uptown areas of Saint John over the coming weeks.
Work on the long-awaited active transportation improvements along Main Street begins on Monday, May 5.
Main Street will be down to one lane in each direction from Union Street to Chesley Drive.
The lane reductions are expected to be in place for 16 weeks, or until late August, according to the city.
Council awarded a $3.4-million contract for the improvement project several weeks ago.
What are the improvements?
Main Street North and the Viaduct will be reduced from six vehicle lanes to four between Chesley Drive and Union Street, creating new space for pedestrians and cyclists.
The lanes will be separated from vehicle traffic by a buffer space as well as concrete barriers to create a physical separation for active transportation users from motor vehicles.
As part of the changes, the speed limit will also be reduced to 50 kilometres per hour from the current 60 along the corridor.
There will also be traffic calming measures for the six ramps along the Viaduct to “reduce or manage the higher speeds” and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
All six ramps will be realigned so that their curves are more abrupt and meet Main Street and the Viaduct at a sharper angle.
New traffic lights, transit enhancements
In addition, a set of traffic lights will be installed at the Route 1 eastbound ramp to “minimize conflicts between pedestrians/cyclists and vehicles.”
A set of pedestrian-active crosswalk signals will be installed at the ramp to Route 1 westbound, while traffic signals will be used at the ramp from Route 1 eastbound beside the former Red Rose Tea building.
New traffic lights will also be installed at Main Street and Metcalf Street. They will include vehicle detection, audible pedestrian signals, tactile warning surface indicators, bike signals and bike boxes.
There will also be enhancements to transit stops along the corridor, which will involve adding transit lay-bys at several of the existing transit stops on Main Street, including next to the Mercantile building and on either side of Main Street near Portland Street.
Late completion clause
The contract also includes a clause that will see the contractor fined $2,000 per working day, up to $50,000, if they do not meet the project schedule.
The project cost came in about $1.3 million higher than expected, according to a staff report presented to council at last week’s meeting.
Staff will defer the planned Rodney Street reconstruction project on the west side and use the additional funding to cover the shortfall.
