Wellington Street Extension: Why Build It?
 |
||
|
|
|
|
||
;)
Download
The Kingston Transportation Master Plan is based on a travel demand model of the Kingston area which estimates future passenger vehicle travel as a function of projected future land use (population and employment) in accordance with the City's Urban Growth Strategy.
"Screenlines" (i.e. imaginary lines drawn on the road network at strategic locations) used in the KTMP model for our study area and corresponding 2026 PM peak hour travel demand projections can be seen by clicking the "Screenlines" map at right.
Although the growth in travel demand to 2026 is relatively low, the projections indicate that there is a clear need for additional north-south roadway capacity within the project study area.
Without changes, the existing road capacity will be insufficient to meet future travel demand, leading to significant driver delay and frustration.
OTHER OBJECTIVES
The need for the Wellington Street Extension/Mid-Block Arterial is not driven by capacity considerations alone.
Some of the main objectives of the Wellington Street Extension/Mid-Block Arterial project include:
- Provision of additional north-south road capacity to address anticipated deficiencies
- Enhanced network continuity, particularly when viewed in relation to the upcoming John Counter Boulevard widening and the proposed Great Cataraqui River Crossing
- Enhanced travel opportunities for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users
- Reduction of traffic on local residential streets
- Improved access and 'gateway' to the downtown
- Support emergency services response (shorter response time and more choice of alternative routes should a particular road prove to be inaccessible)
- Identify and designate future roadway right-of-way requirements and protect property to ensure the availability of land.
