Terrain Group gets Trails and Bikeways planning job

The Terrain group will study the previous reports and survey existing and proposed trails and routes while in engaging users for feedback and opinion. The majority of people are afraid to bike in the city or do so with little confidence, out of necessity. Add on several more barriers like weather, hills and you get the picture. It’s a challenge and we could use some professional help. It’s worth it, as our friend Dean says in this TJ article – Bicycle User welcomes plans for trails

Pedestrian bridge would be an expensive frill – Chase

This article mentions Reversing Falls Bridge, the only passage from West Saint John for cyclists and pedestrians. It has bumpy, patchy asphalt, narrow sidewalks and heavy automobile traffic including large tractor trailers.

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Published Monday June 8th, 2009

SAINT JOHN – Consultants working with city staff on the proposed water treatment system have suggested a pedestrian bridge crossing Reversing Falls could carry one of two new water lines.

A pedestrian bridge that would cross Reversing Falls has been proposed by consultants as a way of laying water lines from one side of the city to the other.
But that won’t happen anytime soon, said the city’s deputy water commissioner.

“It’s something that has been recommended for future consideration,” Brent McGovern said. “We feel it’s something that is going to be necessary with the one-plant option at some point. However, to spread out costs, we’re looking at constructing two water mains under the existing bridge.”

There are risks associated with running both water mains under the same bridge, he said.

If the city decides to build one water treatment plant, rather than two, those risks increase.

“Two new water pipes will provide us with confidence, however there’s still risk associated with having them crossing one bridge.”

If something happened to the bridge, the water supply for west side households could be affected, however the Spruce Lake facility would be used as a backup.

The two new water mains at Reversing Falls are slated to cost $3.8 million. Under the one-plant scenario, two insulated 500-millimetre pipes would carry potable water to west side customers from the east. The pipes are one of the six water project applications – together worth almost $24 million – the city has submitted for federal stimulus funding.

McGovern said building the pedestrian bridge would be a good idea in the future for security of water supply but also to improve the Reversing Falls area.

“Instead of building something that serves one purpose, it’s looking at the broader sense,” he said. “But we have to ensure the cost feasibility of it.”

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase suggested the pedestrian bridge is another frill the city can’t afford.

“It’s a nice concept, but quite frankly, there are a lot of immediate priorities such as the basics of getting water,” he said. “With water costs what they are right now, and what they may be, we certainly don’t need a lot of these extra features that don’t really add to delivering water itself.”

He said before the city builds a bridge, they should improve roads and sidewalks.

“What we really need is a pipe to get the water across the river,” he said. “I’d be looking at quality before I’d be looking at fancy bridges.”

Coun. Bruce Court said he only wants what is cheapest for the taxpayer.

“Whatever way’s cheapest for the citizens, that’s the way I’d like to go,” he said.

Coun. Donnie Snook agreed lowering costs is an important part of considering the consultants’ recommendations.

“The bottom line for me at this point is, I am open to considering the proposals. I think we have to when we see the savings are going to be significant.”

The Ontario engineering firm reviewing Saint John’s water plan has suggested the city could slash millions off the estimated $214-million water system by building one plant rather than two.

Westfield Road work beginning this Summer

This is the non-highway route to Grand Bay – Westfield that has great potential for road biking, commuting, touring or just walking. Here is a clipping from the City News page:

“The City of Saint John will be reconstructing Westfield Road from Acamac Backland Road to Civic #2300. The street reconstruction will include replacing the existing roadway culverts, installing sections of storm sewer and road reconstruction consisting of road widening, new curb, sidewalk, bike lanes and asphalt road surface within the construction limits.

The reconstruction of this first phase of Westfield Road is planned to begin in Summer 2009 and is expected to be completed by the end of October 2010. Prior to construction, another notice will be distributed to inform residents and business owners of the actual start date.

For further details, a public information session will be held:

DATE: June 2, 2009

PLACE: Shades of Green Ltd, 2483 Westfield Road (Please park in KBM Parking Lot)

TIME: 2:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.

Interested residents and business owners are invited to attend anytime during these hours.

For further information about this project, contact: City of Saint John Customer Service at (506) 658-4455 or Terrain Group Inc. at (506)-634-8719.

Also Mike Bonga, an ATSJ member and advocate for this Westfield Rd project, spoke to the Telegraph Journal in this article - $18 million pegged for Westfield Rd. makeover

AT news

Study likely to lay out ways to boost bus ridership from the Telegraph on February 27 , 2009 says 

“The study will likely identify identify ambitious ridership targets for public transportation and lay out a plan to reach them. The plan may call for more bus stop locations, new routes and a faster service that would shorten passenger wait times.

The study may also identify a need for new walking trails and biking lanes, with a goal to provide the public with viable transportation alternatives to gas-guzzling cars and trucks.” 

Also:

ACAP SJ has an active transportation component in their Marsh Creek Restoration Initiative  in the form of trails along the Marsh Creek floodplain and behind Harbour Station to Haymarket Square. The challenge is for them to persuade the government that funding (from  energy company environmental compensation money) AT trails is tantamount to wetland replacement when it comes to protection and sustainability of the reclaimed area. If these trails are permitted funding ACAPSJ, private companies and government can begin negotiating and aquiring the land needed and we’ll see several kilometers of trail sometime in the next 3 years. 

There are some images of the MCRI - here showing trails as thin grey lines, just click on a thumbnail and then “All sizes” too zoom in.

Simms Corner work to include bike lanes and pedestrian friendly signals

Taken from – this TJ article – Simms Corner, phase one, starts in May

“In the end, Simms Corner will be a signalized area that is pedestrian friendly and designed with bicycle lanes and sidewalks, Groody said.”

In reading  the article it’s unclear in which phase the bike lanes and signals will occur but we’ll pass on this information as it becomes available.

This is active living

A bicycle rider is bundled up as he bikes along Harbour Passage Tuesday afternoon, when the temperature hit a high of -2 C. (photo and text from Telegraph Journal 12-31-2008)

If you want to ride this winter visit the City of Toronto Bike Winter site for information.

Happy Trails in 2009!

Harbour Bridge Authority discussing walkway

From TJ  12-13-2008

Pedestrians

Harbour Bridge mulling walkway

The Saint Harbour Bridge Authority has been discussing putting a pedestrian walkway along the side of the toll bridge.

The plan, however, is in very preliminary stages because engineers still need to determine the feasibility of the addition and whether expansion of the bridge would be required. Funding is also an issue since the proposed project would require outside money, potentially from the provincial or federal governments.

Shamrock Park reno includes plans for BMX bike trails

 

From Telegraph Journal 12-11-08 ecerpt from Bruce Bartlett article:

Earlier in the evening at the North End Community Centre, a smaller but happier crowd gathered to hear landscape architect Dan Glenn lay out a plan to update Shamrock Park.

Last summer the his company was awarded a $66,000 contract to put together a master plan to guide the long-overdue refurbishment of the north end park.

The plan unveiled Wednesday includes a multipurpose artificial turf field, eight tennis courts, a softball field, a baseball field, a lacrosse/multipurpose field, a soccer field, a canteen with changing rooms, a splash pad that could be used for outdoor skating in winter, a playground, a dog park and BMX/mountain bike trails for beginners, intermediate and advanced users.

The plans still have to be accepted by the city before a schedule for carrying them out is made.

Several people at the meeting expressed interest in the mountain bike trails and wanted to be involved in the design.

“It’s probably a good idea to organize like the skateboard group,” said Bernie Morrison, director of the city’s leisure services department. “The best thing is to get organized so the city leaders hear you and know what you want.”

Parking Commission unveils plans for bike parking at Open House

From the Telegraph Journal 12-11-08 – excerpt from Bruce Bartlett article:

“Also on Wednesday, the Saint John Parking Commission unveiled plans to make biking to work a more attractive proposition.

There are approximately 68 people who regularly cycle to work in the uptown, said Liz DeLuisa of Hardy Stevenson & Associates, which prepared the plan, for the city.

Next year the parking commission will carry out the plan, installing racks for 29 bikes and lockers for 14. Racks will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, but the lockers will be rented out for about $6 per month, said Craig Campbell, of the city’s planning department.

“Phase two would then stretch to build bike parking at the Carleton garage, Peel Plaza green space and then identify some other key areas within the uptown,” DeLuisa said. “If all of this is developed, we will have 106 bike spaces by 2013.”

The cycling participation rate in Saint John, at 0.3 per cent, is below the national average of 1.4 per cent. But geography does have an impact because most people who cycle to work live within a five-kilometres radius of their job, she said.

Some of the bike lockers will be built next to the Canada Games Aquatic Centre, which will offer an early bird special for $30 per month, allowing cyclists to shower and change before going to work, Campbell said.”

Union Street story mentions traffic issues need to be resolved

Infrastructure Mayor says getting rid of the unsightly poles on Union St. is too expensive

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SANDRA DAVIS
Telegraph-Journal

SAINT JOHN – The poles along Union Street may be leaning, black and pitted with age, but with a price tag of millions of dollars to bury services underground, the city has more pressing priorities, Mayor Ivan Court says.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Noel Chenier/Telegraph-Journal

In the city’s central business district – the area from Union (shown above) to Sydney and Princess and Water Street – there are 107 wooden poles.

“We’re starting in different areas of the city, taking them down and putting in underground wiring,” he said.

“Any time they do new work, they look at ways of taking poles down – but it’s the cost.”

In the whole of the city’s central business district – the area from Union to Sydney and Princess and Water Street – there are 107 wooden poles.

The pricetag associated with putting utilities under the ground is far greater than building on top and, in the end, taxpayers are faced with paying a good chunk of that because Saint John Energy and the city share project costs whenever utilities are buried.

On Union Street, the ancient poles – 45 of them wooden – often tilt toward the street. There are also 33 metal poles along Union; to replace those along with the wooden poles would cost well over $1 million, says Eric Marr, Saint John Energy president and CEO, because underground services for each city block cost in the vicinity of half a million dollars.

Back in the 1980s, a decision was made that the whole business area should have underground wiring as finances permitted.

But because there are traffic issues that have to be resolved along Union, like whether it will have four lanes and/or a bike lane, it is not included in the city’s five-year street reconstruction plan, Nancy Moar, the city’s communications officer, said.

In fact, there is no plan to bury utilities along the Union Street thoroughfare past Peel Street, which is part of the Peel Plaza project that will house the new police station/justice complex. Just to complete that project, there are about 20 poles that must go underground at a cost of more than half a million dollars, Marr said.

Right now, the priority for streetscape work, including underground utilities, is Princess Street – which has a price tag of about $1.4 million to relocate utilities underground – followed by Prince William to Duke streets.

Last month, Saint John Energy advised city staff that, due to its commitment to provide cash for the Peel Plaza project, it might not be able to provide the required $548,000 for Princess Street, but common council agreed to request the money anyway and has authorized staff to proceed with the tendering process.

Saint John Energy’s board of directors will meet on Wednesday to discuss the request, Marr said.

“We can do a typical aerial system of poles and wires at about one-tenth of the cost of doing it underground,” he said.

“It’s always been our policy to try to maintain the lowest rates possible for our customer,” he said.

Need, he said, is usually driven by esthetics rather than practicality.

“We’ve always taken the position that if there’s a party that wants underground wiring, then that party should pay the difference in cost. It shouldn’t be borne by our ratepayers.”

Saint John Board of Trade president Imelda Gilman and Uptown Saint John general manager Peter Asimakos both say they have heard complaints about the unsightly Union Street poles over the last couple of years, particularly from business owners along Union.

“Overhead wires in the core of any downtown is archaic,” Asimakos said.

“They do look like the past,” Gilman said. “It’s unsightly.

“All these poles that are tilting a bit, and all the wires.

“In this day and age, we should be endeavouring to put these underground and I know the city has a plan to do that.”

But Court says when poles can be replaced, the city will do it.

“Potholes have more priority now, for most people,” he said.