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
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.”
