Quote:
Originally Posted by Audevourahn
I live in the Dover-Amirault area and I'm glad to see this being done. I only wish they would plan for the traffic volumes that we ready have and make this a 4 lane road. The current obsession with making it slow to drive places so that people will bike or use mass transit that they haven't provided is getting frustrating.
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When Dieppe Blvd is fully built out, it will certainly give you better connectivity, especially to the airport and to Highways 15 and 2.
I share your concern about Dieppe Blvd potentially being underbuilt.
Dieppe/Harrisville Blvds is the principal north/south arterial in the east end of the metropolitan area. When complete, it will be nearly 12 km long, extending from Dover Road in the south to the Caledonia Industrial Park ito the north, and has interchanges with two freeways (Highways 15 & 2). Traffic volumes can already be quite high during rush hour.
At present:
- Dieppe Blvd is five lane between Champlain Street to Highway 15.
- It is only three lane however in the portion between Champlain Street and Chartersville Road.
- South of Chartersville, Dieppe Blvd is only two lane,
- South of LeBlanc Road, there is a series of roundabouts at intersections as a traffic calming measure.
- On the Moncton side, Harrisville Blvd is definitely underbuilt, being essentially a two lane thoroughfare, except in the Caledonia Industrial Park, where it is a four lane boulevard.
I think that changes will be necessary as future development occurs. This is what should happen (as far as I'm concerned).
Proceeding north to south:
1) - The four lane boulevard with turning lanes in the Caledonia Industrial Park is fine. No changes are necessary.
2) - The overpass over the TCH allows for three lanes of traffic (two through lanes and a centre turning lane to allow traffic access to the TCH). This is a natural choke point. Any changes here would be prohibitively expensive. About the only change I would make would be to erect traffic lights at the westbound on/off ramps to the TCH (there are already traffic lights at the eastbound ramps).
3) - Harrisville Blvd between the TCH and Shediac Road should be a four lane limited access arterial. The railway bridge over the CNR mainline may need to be widened or replaced.
4) - Harrisville Blvd between Shediac Road and Highway 15 is destined for high density development (retail/commercial and probably some residential). This section should be five lane (two lanes each way with a centre turning lane), limited access with signalized intersections.
5) - No change for the dogbone roundabout at Highway 15. This is a choke point, but, I can't imagine how this could be improved.
6) - No change to Dieppe Blvd between Highway 15 and Champlain Street. It is already five lane (including centre turning lane), and, has signalized intersections.
7) - I would widen Dieppe Blvd to four lane from Champlain Street all the way to Melanson Road, keeping it limited access with signalized intersection. This section of Dieppe Blvd contains the uptown commercial strip, and, numerous midrise apartment buildings. It will become increasingly congested as future construction builds out.
8) - Things are different for the section of Dieppe Blvd running from Melanson southward to the intersection with Dover Road. I don't think it is the City of Dieppe's intention to have high density development on this portion of the street, It will be reserved for access to adjacent low density neighbourhoods, and for institutional/educational and recreational use. Some small apartment buildings may be allowed. There is already a francophone school here, and I imagine this is where the new anglophone school will go too. I have heard mutterings about parkland. There will be a series of five roundabouts on this section for traffic calming. I think a two lane limited access arteial with a separate bile trail would be sufficient.
Thoughts?
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