GHG Reduction in Fredericton Through Enhanced Active Transportation Corridors and Modal Shift

The City of Fredericton will undertake three feasibility studies to assess options for promoting active transportation (AT), with the goal of reducing the City’s long-term GHG emissions by encouraging a shift in mode share from single occupancy automobiles to modes including walking, cycling and transit. Each study will incorporate public consultation to ensure the project meet the needs of all users. The three studies are described below: 1. The College Hill Road study will explore two components which would encourage mode split in a traditionally car-dominated neighbourhood. The first component is a new AT link between a large, established residential neighbourhood (Skyline Acres/ Southwood Park) and major destinations including two universities, schools, a regional hospital, and shopping districts. This long desired link would provide residents with an attractive alternative to driving to their destination or workplace. The second component is a roundabout which would enable a direct connection between Provincial Highways 7, 8 and College Hill Road, providing a more direct connection between residential areas and shopping destinations. It is anticipated that the roundabout would allow over 5,000 vehicles per day to experience significantly reduced travel distances and congestion (reducing GHG emissions) by reducing travel times by 5 to 10 minutes per vehicle during peak times.2. The Brookside Drive study will explore the feasibility of creating a fully complete street, encouraging modal shift. Currently Brookside Drive functions as a major collector street for automobile traffic between residential and commercial areas. It features narrow sidewalks and narrow, discontinuous bike lanes, as well as transit stops that are not fully accessible. The feasibility study will explore options for incorporating design elements which fill gaps in the cycling and sidewalk network, and for upgrading transit stops from inaccessible to fully accessible.3. The Rookwood Avenue feasibility study will assess options for linking Fredericton’s two busiest parks with a highly desirable trail connection. This would also fill existing gap in the Trans-Canada Trail. In addition, a single lane roundabout will be reviewed to improve the pedestrian crossings at Waggoner’s Lane (a City arterial street). This roundabout will serve several purposes including calming traffic to enable safer AT crossings, and advancing the construction of accessible transit stops. This feasibility study will help show how the construction of these trail linkages and the roundabout will reduce dependency on automobile travel and increase the use of active transportation for access to these parks, in turn reducing GHG emissions. The desire to improve active transportation corridors in the City of Fredericton comes directly from senior management and City Council. The project aligns with one of the key goals of Fredericton’s CAO and the top priority of the Transportation Committee of City Council, which is to improve active transportation, encourage mode split and study and research green initiatives.