Current Phase

The City of St. John’s is tentatively scheduled to begin construction of a new roundabout at the intersection of Portugal Cove Road, Major’s Path and Airport Heights Drive on Monday, April 13, 2026, with work expected to continue until the end of 2026.

The roundabout is designed to improve traffic flow and enhance safety for both drivers and pedestrians at this busy intersection. It will also include active transportation crossings and connections to the shared-use path on the north side of Major’s Path, as well as links to the Virginia River Trail system. A large-diameter culvert below Portugal Cove Road is also being replaced. This work marks the final phase of the multi-year Major’s Path and Portugal Cove Road Improvements project.

The City will make every effort to minimize impacts, including implementing the following minimal traffic lane requirements throughout the duration of the project:

• Portugal Cove Road: One lane of traffic will remain open in each direction at all times.
• Major's Path and Airport Heights Drive: One lane will remain open in each direction during peak traffic hours (7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.). At other times, traffic may be reduced to one shared lane for both directions.

Expect disruptions, including lane reductions and slower traffic. The City recognizes that this work will cause disruption for residents, commuters and passengers travelling to and from St. John’s International Airport. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and allow extra time to reach their destination. Project timelines are subject to change based on weather and operational requirements.

Pedestrian access will be maintained during construction, and the public is asked to follow all posted signage, obey directions from traffic personnel, and use caution when travelling near construction zones.

The City of St. John’s will provide updates on traffic interruptions and progress throughout the duration of the project.

You can follow progress for this project here at EngageStJohns.ca. This page is not intended to replace other information such as Public Advisories or Public Notices. Subscribe to receive the latest City news and advisories. To report issues, residents can contact Access St. John’s by calling 311 or 709-754-CITY (2489), by emailing access@stjohns.ca or by submitting an online request.

Background

The City of St. John’s will be upgrading Major’s Path, from Hebron Way to Portugal Cove Road, and constructing a new roundabout at the intersection of Portugal Cove Road, Major's Path, and Airport Heights Drive.

The project began in 2024 with upgrades to Major's Path from Hebron Way to Portugal Cove Road. These upgrades include widening of the road to facilitate a left turn lane, a new sidewalk on the south side of the street, improved street lighting as well as a new shared use path on the northside of the street. The addition of a shared use path creates an active transportation network to allow people of all ages and abilities to safely get where they need to go, using whichever mode of active transportation they choose.

The project also includes the construction of a modern multi-lane roundabout at the Portugal Cove Road- Major's Path-Airport Heights Drive intersection. The roundabout will have active transportation crossings with connections to the new shared use path on the north side of Major's Path and the Airport Heights to Paul Reynolds Community Centre shared use path. As part of the intersection upgrades, two existing large diameter culverts on Virginia River will also be replaced.

The entire project is tentatively scheduled to be completed by December 2026.

Check out the Frequently Asked Questions for further details. A map of the construction area is available in the Documents.