Drivers in Dartmouth could soon be doing circles at a newly-proposed roundabout at the crash-prone intersection of Lancaster Drive and Micmac Boulevard.
A report coming to council Tuesday recommends council spend $3.5 million on a roundabout to help calm traffic and reduce collisions.
Dartmouth Centre Coun. Sam Austin says the Lancaster Drive and Micmac Boulevard intersection is the perfect place for a new roundabout, as there are a number of recurring issues and concerns from a traffic perspective.
“This intersection is a little weird,” said Austin. “It’s got a Jekyll and Hyde thing going, where if the light is green people sail through and they don’t adjust their highway speed, and if the light is red they do.”
“The nice thing about a roundabout, it’s a nice clear sign that you have left the highway and you are now entering the city.”
City staff and the province have been studying the intersection, and the report shows collision incidents in the area are high, including 49 accidents in the past four years alone. None were fatal, but 13 involved personal injury.
Highway 118 leads into Woodland Avenue, which acts as a throughway connector to Dartmouth and Halifax.
The report also recommends improved signage and improved communication at the intersection for both vehicle and pedestrian traffic, while suggesting the roundabout will help significantly reduce the speed. Many who live along the roadway say that’s a problem for the area.
Austin says he’s been door-to-door in the neighbourhood and says locals are loud and clear on the issues.
“There aren’t many examples where you can go to a neoghbourhood and say, ‘yes there is one clear issue in this neighborouhood,’ and for this area, this is most decidedly it,” said Austin. “This issue goes back decades.”
The proposed roundabout is a joint project and the costs will be shared between the municipality and the province. But it will be up to council to give the project a final approval.
That decision is expected at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Nova Scotia’s Department of Transportation has not yet responded to Global News’ calls for comment.
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