Moncton changing intersection to improve safety near where cyclists struck

Moncton is making changes to an intersection along a busy road where one cyclist was recently struck and another killed two years ago, with more changes being considered.

At issue is a stretch where the eastbound ramps of Wheeler Boulevard connect toConnaught Avenue.

It's an area that members of the Active Transportation Coalition of Moncton, a group lobbying for road safety improvements, has pointed to as requiring changes.

Within a few hundred metres, a four-lane street narrows to two lanes with multiple side streets and driveways, highway ramps with slip lanes, and the end of a multi-use trail.

"Ultimately it's a bit of a quagmire of different transportation modalities that are coming together in a real kind of worst-case scenario," Michael Roy, a director of the coalition, said in an interview Tuesday.

Dangerous, Roy said, for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.

In 2022, a cyclist was struck and killed by a driver just south of the highway ramps. Earlier this summer, another cyclist was struck by a dump truck. That cyclist was not injured.

"It was a very, very terrible close call for this person, again, really catalyzing us to see what we can do to improve safety," Leslie Tse, the city's active transportation co-ordinator, said in an interview.

Already the city has altered one of the highway rampslip lanes that's close to the start of the Rabbit Brook Trailto improve sight lines and slow traffic.

Another change is coming with the intersection lights.

Traffic heading southwest on Connaught turning left on to Wheeler Boulevard will have a dedicated left-turn light. Currently, the green light coincides with the pedestrian crossing signal.

Tse said that change is meant to address the issue that led to the most recent cyclist being hit.

The changes were among the details Tse outlined in an update to Moncton council during a committee meeting Monday.

Councillors were told city staff want to take a broader look at the entire corridor between McLaughlin Drive, Morton and Connaught avenues.

It's a corridor that includesa hospital, university, schools and homes.

"That is the area that we would like to focus on in 2025to see how can we improve,and fit active transportation into those areas,but how can we improve just safety in general for everyone becauseit's really something that many people have told us is a real priority in the city."

WATCH |City staff eye changes to bridge as part of safety improvements:

Moncton looks at making safety changes to busy road

5 days ago

Duration 1:13

City hall staff in Moncton are looking at ways to improve the safety of an intersection along Connaught Avenue where cyclists have been struck by drivers in recent years. Some ideas could require changes to a bridge over Wheeler Boulevard, something that would need provincial approval.

Ren Lagac, the city's director of engineering, told councillorsthat the city has had "high-level" talks with the province about potential changes to the bridge over Wheeler linking Morton and Connaught.Lagacsaid options could include reducing the bridge to three lanes to accommodate a bike lane.

ButLagacand Tse said changes to Connaught are harder because of homes and power poles close to the roadway.

City staff say they'llconsultwith the Active Transportation Coalition of Moncton to get their input.

Roy, who was not present at the committee meeting, said he was pleased to hear the city making the area a priority but wants to see a cohesive approach versus small changes along the route.

"This whole entire corridor needs to be taken on as a complete project and not as a piecemeal kind of thing," Roy said.