Fredericton intersection closure will cause 'pain' for drivers

Fredericton-area drivers will be facing some commuter "pain" next summer when the city's busiest intersection undergoes major changes.

The Regent and Prospect intersection sees roughly 50,000 vehicles cross through it every day.

For three months, starting next June, it will be largely shut down and drivers will be forced to find alternate ways to navigate the area.

"There will be pain associated with this and there will be delays. We are trying to make it better than it is right now," said Jon Lewis, the city's chief traffic engineer.

"We are asking people for patience as we go through this, but once it is complete, we will end up with a better product."

The construction is set to take three months, from June 1 to Sept. 1. 

The city will be rolling out more promotional materials in the next six months to remind drivers of how the massive construction project will force them to change their driving patterns.

What will be closed?

The bridge that goes over Route 8 will be completely removed during the construction project, so traffic will not be able to move north or south along Regent Street, past the Prospect Street intersection.

This will mean drivers coming from, for instance, New Maryland will need to use different routes to get downtown, aside from travelling along Regent Street.

The Department of Transportation will be setting up a temporary pedestrian structure so people can still walk in the area during the construction period.

Lewis said there will be conversations with ambulance drivers on how the closure will affect emergency responders and the fastest way to get to the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital if they cannot use Regent Street.

What will be open?

Drivers will not be able to use the section of Regent Street that passes over the Route 8 bridge, but there will be some options if commuters don't mind sitting in a construction zone.

"It will be a construction zone, so there will be reduced speeds and reduced lanes, but the full cut off of traffic is actually only for the north-south movement, and we will still be trying to maintain, as best we can, the east-west movement through the intersection," Lewis said.

The infrastructure was at the end of its life so it made a lot of sense for us both to get in there together, do the work at the same time and try to minimize the overall impacts to the public.- Jon Lewis, traffic engineer

Drivers will be able to go from the Vanier Highway to Prospect Street, but there will be reduced speeds and fewer lanes.

The traffic engineer said drivers will be able to use the exit from the Vanier Highway and turn right on Regent Street.

Drivers will also be able to turn from Regent Street onto Prospect Street.

But Lewis said the area will be an "active" construction zone so drivers will need to be patient if they want to drive in the area.

"We are still maintaining all the turning movements at that intersection, other than traffic heading to the south, for example, so over the former Trans-Canada Highway, that is the portion that will be completely shut down," he said.

What is the city doing?

The city will be rebuilding the Regent and Prospect intersection with "high-performance" asphalt.

Drivers used to waiting in long lines in the area will also benefit from additional lanes.

The city is planning to put double left turn lanes from Regent Street onto Prospect, as well as double left turn lanes from the Vanier Highway onto Regent Street.

Lewis said the intersection, specifically the pedestrian islands, will resemble the new intersection at Smythe and Prospect streets that was completed this summer.

He  said the concrete in the intersection was in very poor shape, and the design meant drivers were experiencing high delays in peak times.

The water and sewer infrastructure that is under the intersection will also be upgraded.

What is the province doing?

The Department of Transportation has the largest project during the summer construction phase.

It is estimated that it will cost $4.8 million to replace the underpass, which was built in 1959. The contract was awarded over the summer and the preparation work is expected to begin in March. 

When it reopens, the new bridge will have an extra lane so there are two lanes to turn left onto Prospect Street.

As well, it will be raised to reduce the possibility of it being hit from below.

Why both projects at the same time?

The city's traffic engineer said the infrastructure of both the bridge and the intersection was aging and needed to be replaced.

So, with both projects on the drawing board and ultimately in need of tackling, Lewis said the decision was made to do them both at the same time.

"The infrastructure was at the end of its life, so it made a lot of sense for us both to get in there together, do the work at the same time and try to minimize the overall impacts to the public," he said.

With the Route 8 roundabout project recently finished, Lewis said that will allow options for drivers who need to get around without being able to fully access the Regent and Prospect intersection.

He said people may also want to use Knowledge Park Drive, Bishop Drive and Hanwell Road to get around the construction zone.

The city had looked at installing a roundabout at the intersection, but Lewis said it was concluded there was not enough room to build a roundabout that could handle the 50,000 vehicles that use the intersection daily.

"We are very tight for the property that we have on all four corners there, and the land just isn't available," he said.