The final design for the Point St. Mark Drive and Gore Road intersection, part of the Third Crossing bridge project, has been released by the City and provides features for cyclists, pedestrians, and transit users in addition to roadway improvements.
“Providing more sustainable transportation options for residents is a vital part of the Third Crossing project overall,” said Deputy Commissioner for Major Projects Office, Mark Van Buren. “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.”
The Third Crossing Project Team began its engagement with local residents on the preferred design of the south leg of the Point St. Mark Drive and Gore Road intersection in August 2020. Feedback came from an informal poll of residents, input from Kingston Emergency Service Providers, and the City’s Transportation Department
As a result of that input, 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, provided by the City, 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.
Residents can see the new intersection design, ask questions and provide input until February 23 at the project’s Get Involved Kingston page with construction of the intersection beginning this spring and completed by the end of 2021.
More about cross-rides and how an all ages and all abilities (AAA) intersection works can be found in the brief City of Kingston video:
Image: Google
Video: City of Kingston
