Transportation Changes to Support Social Distancing

On Tuesday, May 5, City Council voted to implement on-street changes that will provide additional space for pedestrians and cyclists to maintain physical distancing. The project will use traffic control infrastructure (candlesticks) to widen sidewalk space for pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users.

The streets identified for the project are:

• Elizabeth Avenue - Portugal Cove Road to Torbay Road
• Harbour Drive
• Newtown Road - Merrymeeting Road to Elizabeth Avenue
• Parade Street - Lemarchant Road to Merrymeeting Road 

Currently there is no set date for implementation of the project as the city must first procure additional traffic control infrastructure. When the projects are ready to be installed, a traffic advisory will be issued on the city website and shared on social media to advise the public of these changes.

The amount of space created for pedestrians will vary by street. The goal is to provide between 1.5 and 3 meters of additional space but there will be isolated areas with less space to accommodate transit stops and parking.

During a 30-day evaluation period observations and feedback from the public will be collected. Consideration will then be given to future projects, and possible expansion or discontinuation of the project by City Council. Further information will be released when the project is ready to be installed.

Please note, there will be no impact on parking until the project is installed. Motorists parking on Harbour Drive must continue to use PayByPhone until further notice, as enforcement is ongoing for on street parking regulations.