Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Kingston has released the final design for the Point St. Mark Drive and Gore Road intersection, part of the Third Crossing bridge project. The new design offers features for cyclists, pedestrians, and transit users along with roadway improvements.
“Providing more sustainable transportation options for residents is a vital part of the Third Crossing project overall,” says Mark Van Buren, Deputy Commissioner for Major Projects Office.
“After hearing from residents and stakeholders, the final design of this intersection reflects Council’s sustainable transportation priorities and community comments by providing several new features for cyclists, pedestrians and transit users to move in and around Kingston.”
In August 2020, the Third Crossing Project Team started engaging with local residents on the preferred design of the south leg of the Point St. Mark Drive and Gore Road intersection.
Based on an informal poll of residents, input from Kingston Emergency Service Providers, and the City’s Transportation Department, the final design restricts vehicle access to prevent motorists from short-cutting through the Point St. Mark neighbourhood and includes new active transportation infrastructure for cyclists, pedestrians, transit users and multi-modal travellers.
Highlights of the final design for the intersection include:
- Safety and connectivity enhancements for pedestrians and cyclists of all ages and abilities;
- Improved pedestrian facilities with new sidewalks and crosswalks on Gore Road to connect to Highway 15 and the future bridge;
- Improved cycling facilities, adding off-road cycling facilities, bicycle detection and cross-rides that will allow cyclists to remain on their bicycles and follow directional signals to cross the road (cross-rides work like pedestrian crosswalks);
- A right-out for vehicles turning onto Gore Road. All other access for vehicles on the south leg of the intersection is restricted. This prevents motorists from short-cutting through the Point St. Mark neighbourhood;
- A multi-use trail along Gore Road improves connectivity to the rest of the city and encourages active transportation by multi-modal users (and future bridge users!);
- Access for emergency service vehicles is maintained; and
- New bus stops and expanded transit infrastructure along Gore Road.
The project’s Get Involved Kingston page will be open for public input from Feb. 2 to 23 for residents to see the new intersection design and ask questions. Construction of the intersection will begin this spring and will be completed by the end of 2021.
