Town of Bay Roberts Transportation Master Plan
Location: Bay Roberts, NL, Canada
Client: Town of Bay Roberts
Duration: 2016
Key Staff: Michael MacDonald, Robin King, Courtney McCarthy
Project Description
Since its amalgamation in 1965 and 1990 with surrounding communities, the Town of Bay Roberts has become a highly desirable residential community on the Bay de Verde Peninsula. Most of the streets and roadways within the community are also rural in nature, characterized by narrow asphalt widths, gravel shoulders and ditches to accommodate drainage.
Many of these streets are not well suited to accommodate the urban growth patterns that have been experienced within the Town. Also, the growth in traffic volumes on the Conception Bay Highway has resulted in safety concerns from the residents, and concerns from business owners with respect property access.
To address this, the Town engaged HTC to prepare a comprehensive Transportation Master Plan (TMP). The TMP will be a key element for the Town in the provision of a sustainable and safe transportation system for its residents.
Harbourside’s Role
The scope of work for the TMP was divided into three tasks with multiple subtasks.
Understanding Traffic and Transportation Systems.
Harbourside began with a Project Initiation Meeting. This was to collect any background information that might be available, and to assemble any existing data for review.
Once any existent data was examined, Harbourside conducted site evaluations and traffic counting throughout the site area. Once armed with information, it was time to proceed to a Public Consultation.
Assessment of Present and Future Conditions.
Future condition mapping involved planning over a 10-year horizon. It included modelling and Simulation of the Roadway Network and an operational evaluation of systems. This examined conditions in both present day, and 10-yearswith projected growth.
Creating a System Improvement Plan.
An operational Assessment of Solutions was created. This highlighted both the costs for the System Improvements Plan and for the Implementation Plan.
Unique Challenges
As is the case with many smaller towns, they possess a unique charm that is threatened by modern development. The challenge of developing this type of Transportation Master Plan is in improving safety and traffic flow, all while preserving the unique character of a smaller community.
Social Impact
With the amalgamation of several communities, the Transportation Master Plan for Bay Roberts will allow for better interconnectedness between disparate areas. It will also permit traffic to flow more freely, all while improving safety throughout the various communities in the area.