A traffic master plan for University Avenue in Charlottetown is being discussed that could see more signalled intersections coming to the street.
It was a topic of discussion at a recent meeting of city council’s standing committee on public works and urban beautification.
At this point, it’s just in the discussion phase.
Scott Adams, manager of the public works department, referred to it as “the future of University Avenue’’.
Citing one example, Adams said some thought is being given to creating a new intersection where the avenue meets the parking lot at the Indigo book store.
One of the goals here would be to make it the main entry point for traffic turning left into Indigo and adjacent businesses also the entry point for traffic turning left off the avenue heading to the Atlantic Superstore.
That would mean left-turning traffic would no longer be able to use the entrance/exit closer to the Burger King restaurant. Things would stay the same for vehicles turning right off University Avenue into the Burger King/Superstore parking lot and traffic would be able to turn right onto the avenue from the parking lots.
However, a mounted island would prevent traffic from turning left out of those parking lots onto the avenue as well as traffic turning left off the avenue into those parking lots.
A new signalled intersection at Indigo would serve motorists wanting to go in any direction.
Adams said one of the reasons for this change would be to improve traffic flow into and out of the parking lots, especially for the T3 Transit system and to reduce the amount of left-turning traffic on the avenue itself.
Coun. Kevin Ramsay, a member of the committee, asked Adams if there was any concern with installing traffic lights so close to the Belvedere Avenue-University Avenue intersection.
Adams said both sets of lights would be synchronized to improve traffic flow.
Adams added they’re also looking at a right slip lane at University Avenue-Kirkwood Drive for traffic turning right onto Kirkwood Drive.
There was also talk of putting in signal lights and creating a new intersection where the avenue meets Pond Street sometime in the future due to the fact it’s a busy spot for pedestrian crossings.
Adams also talked about adding some mounted islands along the avenue, most likely between Pond Street and Belvedere Avenue, to reduce the number of spots where traffic can turn left.
Coun. Terry MacLeod, chairman of the committee, said part of the purpose of the master plan is to reduce the number of collisions that happen along the street.
Dave Stewart is The Guardian's municipal reporter.
