Veteran's Square Pilot Project to become permanent

During the April 17, 2019 Committee of the Whole meeting, an update was provided regarding the permanent installation of the Veteran’s Square Reconfiguration originally piloted from August 14 to November 16, 2017.

The project will be permanently installed during summer 2019 in conjunction with required street rehabilitation work.

This intersection had been raised by the public as a hazard for pedestrians in the area and a safety concern for motorists. The intended benefits of the reconfiguration project include:

• Increasing pedestrian safety by reducing the distance that people walk across Queen’s Road;
• Increasing driver safety by creating a more traditional ‘T’ intersection;
• Reducing traffic on Bond Street by eliminating the direct route through Veteran’s Square; and,
• Improving parking by increasing formal parking stalls and eliminating areas where informal parking occurs on the street.

An evaluation of the project’s success included a public survey that was presented to Council on April 11, 2018. Council voted to proceed with the permanent installation of the project on April 16, 2018, pending funding, which was approved as part of the 2019 Capital budget.

The final design of the Veteran’s Square Reconfiguration was developed based on technical elements to provide safety benefits, and by incorporating the public feedback to include both green space and public parking opportunities in the area.

The City of St. John’s is committed to building a balanced transportation network to get people and goods where they want to go safely. This project contributes to Our City, Our Future 2019 Action Plan under the goal to improve safety for all users on a well-maintained street network and to expand and maintain a safe and accessible active transportation network.