Why this retired police officer is rooting for the Rawlins Cross roundabout
Rawlins Cross was his 'beat' back in the 1970s
Gary Browne has kept a close eye on Rawlins Cross for nearly 70 years, both as a resident and as a police officer. He's lived at the city's most notorious traffic tangle since the late 1940s and, as a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer, the intersection was his "beat" for most of the 1970s.
He's watching the latest development at the intersection-turned-roundabut with interest.
"It's very hard because you have old infrastructure and homes right on the side of the road," he said. "They've got a big challenge and I hope it works for them."
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On Thursday, the City of St. John's threw bags over the traffic lights and painted new crosswalks at Rawlins Cross in a new effort to ease driver bewilderment as they navigate the bizarre confluence of Military Road, Prescott Street and Monkstown Road.
During his time as a police officer there, Rawlins Cross was known as the "ecclesiastic corridor," he said, because of all the schools in the area and the thousands of students that attended them.
"You were given a post here called Cumberford's Corner, where you had to be here early in the morning and you didn't leave until school closed," Browne said.
Keeping the children safe was the main priority at his post, he said, but the steady police presence had other benefits, too.
"It was good for public relations and crime prevention, because we got to know the kids," he said.
Military thoroughfare
Browne's knowledge of Rawlin's Cross goes beyond personal experience. He is also well-versed in the history of the area from its beginnings in 1840.
"In 1903 when they brought in the gas engines here, that's when it started getting really busy. It's a high-traffic thoroughfare of military road going way back," he said.
During the Second World War in particular , he said, military vehicles were packed into those streets.
As the city expanded, he said, the area became a central hub, connecting the main parts of downtown. Now, he says with the overhaul of Bannerman Park, it's become a thoroughfare for pedestrians as well as cars, he said.
Hoping it works
Despite all the changes he's witnessed, Browne says he never found driving through Rawlin's Cross to be all that hair-raising.
"The greatest issue I've had in the area is looking for parking spots!"
His close connection with the area makes him root a little harder for the new roundabout success, he said. But is afraid the changes might make the bad Rawlins Cross situation a little bit worse.
"You got to now try to get, probably hundreds of pedestrian traffic and vehicles through this intersection without traffic lights now."
"I hope it won't drive me away," Browne said, laughing.
With files from Gavin Simms
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