Riverview’s first ever roundabout opens after 6 o’clock today.
The Director of Engineering and Public Works for the Town of Riverview Michel Ouellet says they are building 1.4 kilometres of road, “The roundabout currently creates a link to the new Bridgedale Boulevard between east Riverview and the Gunningsville Bridge. We are creating an intersection where there will be significant right turn movements from Bridgedale Boulevard onto Gunningsville and again from Gunningsville there will be left turn movements onto Bridgedale. A roundabout is the perfect type of intersection for this purpose.”
Ouellet says they rushed the project because of the proposed closure of the Causeway next year for around two months,”It will allow for a smoother flow of traffic for motorists who are trying to get access to the Gunningsville Bridge,” Ouellet says. “That intersection today sees about 26, 000 cars a day. The bridge sees around 20, 000, and the Causeway sees around 18, 000. When you close down the Causeway, those cars have to find a way to Moncton,” Ouellet says.
But he adds, there is still much work to be done on this project.
“In fact, the project has two roundabouts. The Runnymeade intersection will also be a roundabout with a future leg continuing to the Bridgedale project later on. To the north is the existing Runnymeade Road, to the west is the new Bridgedale Boulevard that we are building. It will eventually lead to a new recreation centre.”
This second part of the project is expected to open in the fall.
The Town says the roundabout area of Gunningsville Boulevard will be reduced to one lane next week to allow for the completion of landscaping and concrete work.
Traffic control personnel will be directing stop and go traffic through the work zone. Delays are to be expected in the area as traffic will be slowed.
A third roundabout will be added in a separate project at Pine Glen Road and Pinewood.
Further information on how to use this new roundabout safely, has been issued by the Town of Riverview.