With a proposed roundabout off the table, the city is looking for different design options for the 30th Street/9th Avenue intersection.
Salmon Arm council has awarded Opus International Consultants Ltd. $18,710 plus taxes to review potential configurations for the intersection situated near the uptown Tim Hortons by the Trans-Canada Highway.
Salmon Arm public works and engineering director Rob Niewenhuizen explained to council that the intersection has been an ongoing concern for the city’s engineering department. In 2013, the city contracted R.F. Binnie and Associates to review traffic operations and safety at 9th Avenue/30th Street NE intersection on the south side of Highway 1, as well as the 11th Avenue/30th Street NE intersection on the north side. Of the possible configurations looked at, Binnie recommended roundabouts for both intersections.
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During subsequent design work, however, it was found a roundabout wouldn’t work at the 9th Avenue/30th Street intersection due, in part, to its proximity to the highway.
Niewenhuizen said the design review is intended to find a solution for the intersection.
“One of the problems that we have is if this intersection starts failing, one of the resolves is to make it right in/right out, and that means no turning off 30th Street…,” said Niewenhuizen.
Coun. Alan Harrison agreed a solution is needed as right in/right out would not only be bad for business, “it would push traffic from Tim Hortons into school zones and we don’t want that.”
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