Main Street Immediate Safety Enhancements Update: Lane reconfiguration work beginning next week

HAMILTON, ON – As part of the Council approved motion to develop safety enhancements along Main Street and King Street, beginning on Monday, August 15, crews will begin overnight work to reduce the number of travel lanes on Main Street from five to four between Dundurn Street and Sherman Avenue.

As part of the lane reconfiguration, a pedestrian buffer will be added to the south lane of Main Street and bumpouts will be implemented at various locations along the street. This measure will help reduce the number of side swipe collisions throughout the corridor due to narrow lane widths. Additionally, a designated bus-only lane will be implemented in the south lane at Main Street and MacNab Street and a transit signal will be added at the intersection to give transit buses priority.

The restriping of lanes and associated works will take place during the overnight hours and is expected to take five nights to complete, wrapping up by August 20, 2022, weather permitting.

Motorists are reminded to pay close attention to the updated pavement markings, be aware of traffic conditions and anticipate delays. Motorist are also reminded to pay attention to other measures including the implementation of No Right Turn on Red restrictions and leading pedestrian signal intervals at intersections along Main Street and King Street.

In addition to the lane reconfiguration work beginning next week, various immediate measures that focus on roadway safety improvements have been implemented along Main Street and King Street between Dundurn Street and the Delta . A brief summary of work completed in the last month includes: 

• No right turn on red (NRTOR) restrictions have been approved by Council and implementation has been completed on Main Street.

• Pedestrian “countdown” signals (PCS) installations have begun on Main Street with all intersections between Dundurn Street and Sanford Avenue completed. The remainder of intersections are expected to be installed by end of August.

• Leading Pedestrian intervals have been added to intersections on Main Street between Locke Street and Victoria Street with the remainder expected to be installed by end of August.

• Ladder crossings have been implemented at the majority of intersections on Main and King Street.

• A preliminary design for the pedestrian scramble at Main and Summer’s Lane has been completed – the project will be tendered and construction is expected to commence in late 2022 or early 2023.

• Implementation of NRTOR restrictions, pedestrian countdown timers and leading pedestrian intervals on King Street will commence following the work on Main Street.

• The City has engaged with a consultant, WSP to develop alternative concepts for evaluation and undertake an assessment of capital improvement costs, construction timing and required approvals.

The City has adopted a Vision Zero safe systems approach to roadway safety, recognizing that the transportation system must be designed in a way that prevents collisions as much as possible and lessens the impacts of collisions when they do happen. Vision Zero focuses on the design of our communities and roads, how speeds are set and managed, how vehicles are permitted to operate and what transportation mobility options exist where and for whom.