Getting the Run Around?

Roundabout scrapped for traffic lights

By Craig Campbell, Dundas Star News

Plans for a roundabout at the intersection of Governor’s Road and Davidson Boulevard have been scrapped in favour of less expensive traffic lights, with no pedestrian crossing of Governor’s Road.

Gary Moore, the City of Hamilton’s director of engineering services, confirmed last week traffic lights will be installed later this year, instead of the roundabout originally approved four years ago, for financial reasons.

“We figured out a roundabout would cost us about $1.4-million and we could control the intersection for $170,000,” Moore said.

He also confirmed there will not be a pedestrian crossing across Governor’s Road at the intersection – only a pedestrian crossing of Davidson.

“There are no pedestrian amenities on the south side of Governor’s, nothing to cross to,” Moore said. “Therefore (there is) no provision of crosswalk or signals at this time. Should there be a sidewalk installed in the future this is an easy retrofit.”

A public tender on the road project – which also includes road resurfacing in Dundas’ Turnbull neighbourhood – closes to bids on August 29.

According to the tender, the “Governor’s Road – Road Widening” project includes 1,800 square metres of road widening construction; 450 square metres of asphalt milling; 820 tonnes of asphalt paving; traffic signal installations; and street lighting installations.

Governors Getting A Road Diet

View Road Diet on Governor's Road in a larger map

The Dundas Star is reporting that changes to Governor's Road are coming soon, changes which will improve pedestrian safety by taking an extra lane away from through traffic and using it to create pedestrian "islands" and a left turning lane for cars. Currently the street has two westbound lanes and one eastbound lane for traffic. The extra westbound lane lends itself to speeding as cars pass on the hill before the road returns to a more sensible one lane in each direction at Creighton.

It is sad that this move was likely prompted by a recent traffic fatality (December 2012). 87-year-old Kathleen Macleod was killed crossing Governor’s Road from her home at Governor’s Green apartments to St. Joseph’s Villa. The 44-year-old driver Paulo Mateus was charged with careless driving. (There has been one pre-trial court event to date)

Also interesting that this is the exact opposite of what the city was planning to do to Governor's Road a few years ago when they recommended widening Governors to 4 lanes (2 in each direction) - happily that plan is out the window and this improvement should help calm traffic along that stretch of road.

Thursday, March, 28, 2013 - 12:12:15 PM
Governor’s improvements coming this year
By Craig Campbell, Dundas Star NewsPedestrian safety improvements on Governor’s Road are expected this year between Creighton and Main streets.
Gary Moore, the City of Hamilton’s director of engineering services, confirmed last week a project tendered for the nearly 1.5-kilometre stretch of road includes converting a lane of westbound traffic into a two-way, left-turn lane, sidewalks where they currently don’t exist, , and addition of several pedestrian “refuge islands” in the new turning lane.

Turning the Tide

How things change. From outrageous plans to widen Governor's Road a few years ago, to talk of shrinking the lane capacity currently. I like the direction. Perhaps a look at a middle turning lane at key points, and bike lanes in both directions.

Thursday, January, 24, 2013 - 1:01:28 PM

Options considered for Governor’s before 2017

By Craig Campbell, Dundas Star News

Closing a west-bound lane of traffic on Governor’s Road and turning it into a permanent turning lane will be among options considered for safety improvements to the Dundas street. 

Ron Gallo, the City of Hamilton’s traffic engineering and operations department, confirmed cutting Governor’s down to one lane of traffic in each direction will be reviewed – when a formal design project is triggered. That is currently expected in 2017, but there is an effort underway to start sooner. 

Dundas Community Council member Bill Kennedy asked local city councillor Russ Powers about the possibility of turning the extra west-bound lane into a turning lane, at last Wednesday night’s committee meeting. 

Powers said he’s asked staff to consider that, and he’d like to see some action be taken prior to 2017. 

“That’s under consideration,” Powers said. “I’ve been pushing for it.” 

He told Kennedy and the rest of his community council he’s not sure why a west-bound passing lane was added to Governor’s Road, around 1966. He suggested it might have made sense to planners at the time. 

The city’s budget forecast includes $2.1-million for a roads project on Governor’s Road between Bridlewood and Main Street in five years. 

Last Thursday was the first scheduled appearance in Provincial Offences court for a 44-year-old Flamborough man charged with Careless Driving after 87-year-old Kathleen Macleod was killed crossing Governor’s Road from her home at Governor’s Green apartments to St. Joseph’s Villa. 

The matter was remanded over for a second appearance next month. The charge carries a set fine of $400 for a conviction, but could go as high as $2,000 and six months in prison, as well as a license suspension up to two years. 

The road between the Villa and Governor’s Green is three lanes wide, with two west-band lanes. There are no turning lanes for east-bound traffic turning left into the 101 Governor’s Road residential complex, nor any turning lanes for the west-bound traffic turning left onto Overfield Street to access the Villa long term care facility. 

City staff have already recognized a potential for pedestrian islands in (several) locations along the middle of Governor’s Road to provide staged crossing for pedestrians.
It’s not yet clear if pedestrian islands and turning lanes could be used to eliminate an entire west-bound lane from Governor’s Road. 

“All options will be looked at once it is triggered as a formal design project,” Gallo stated last week in an email. ”This section is currently in the five year plan so, at this point, we are not reviewing any details.”