Mount Pearl Integrated Transportation Study Phase 1A
Location: Mount Pearl, NL, Canada
Client: City of Mount Pearl
Duration: 2015
Key Staff: Michael MacDonald, Robin King
Project Description
The City of Mount Pearl and surrounding areas have seen significant growth in development, population and infrastructure in recent years. This includes various developments in the Paradise, the lands above the 190-meter contour north of Kenmount Road, and the Galway Development in St. John’s. In addition to these projects, in 2015, the Provincial Government was working towards the completion of the Team Gushue Highway. This would see altered traffic patterns to some degree and was anticipated might impact intersections and roadways within the City of Mount Pearl.
Considering this, the City of Mount Pearl engaged Harbourside Transportation Consultants (HTC) to complete an integrated Transportation Study. The goal of said study was to examine the immediate and long-term transportation infrastructure needs in and around the city. An Integrated Transportation Plan was developed and subdivided into three distinct phases.
Harbourside’s Role
Phase 1A of this study was intended to familiarize Harbourside’s transportation engineers with various aspects of the City’s transportation infrastructure. As HTC developed a detailed work plan, the scope of work was broken down into several distinct parts.
Analysis of existing data. This included studies from neighbouring municipalities when applicable.
Review of then-current road classification designation of City Streets within the study area.
Review of existing traffic studies and existing and projected traffic flow. Here the purpose was to recommend alternative measures to accommodate increased demand.
Review existing traffic controls and existing trail networks.
To provide current and expected levels of service for multiple intersections. These included Topsail Road at Moffatt Road and Humber Drive, and Topsail Road at Hemmer Jane Drive and Marlin Drive.
Harbourside also identified additional information that was required to conduct an integrated Traffic Plan. This information included a review of the existing trail networks and pedestrian connections. It also included an investigation of the existing traffic signal control systems within the city.
Develop the scope of work for Phase 1B.
Provide a Summary Report for Phase 1A.
Overall general project management.
Unique Challenges
In developing the methodology for Phase 1A, Harbourside had to determine the full scope of work necessary in Phase 1B. This had to be done in consideration of the development happening in neighbouring municipalities as well.
Since Phase 1B was considered a separate project, there was no guarantee that it would be awarded to Harbourside Transportation Consultants. As such, reporting had to be as detailed as possible. This would ensure that a consultant without the first-hand study experience would be able to take the information Harbourside generated and be able to use it with little prior knowledge of the project.
Social Impact
Planning for future growth, and in response to development is crucial for mitigating traffic congestion. For Mount Pearl, being equipped with this information meant they would be able to plan infrastructure and roadway improvements before they became problematic or overcrowded. It also means that safety can be at the forefront of any new transportation development.