Infrastructure upgrades for 2021 could include a traffic roundabout at Redwood and Edward Street.
Northwood Councillor Shelby Ch’ng points out in November city staff will recommend to council it approve what’s called Stacking our Assets, for next year’s budget. “If we need a watermain replaced, telephone lines, anything underground. If the road needs a complete rehabilitation, which the corner of Edward and Redwood does need, that we do that work altogether.”
Traffic roundabouts were discussed at the Northwood councillors recent ward meeting, with her adding there are less collisions than intersections with lights.
She points out it would be far cheaper than lights which would not have to be replaced, and this is thinking that has changed over the course of time.
“Initially, way back when that area was planned out, there was a roundabout that was supposed to go in there, but for some reason in the 70s, when the city decided at the time, that stop lights would be the best way to go,” says Ch’ng.
Thunder Bay’s Director of Operations, Kayla Dixon, points out the benefits such as better traffic flow, cheaper than lights and fewer collisions than lights.
“But there’s also a large space requirement for roundabouts that needs to be considered as well, and they aren’t appropriate for every intersection. But in this case we do have traffic signals at Redwood and Edward,”
