City Seeking Feedback On Improvement Project
The City of Hamilton has plans to “embark on a major City improvement project” at the junction of Queen Street and Church Street and is seeking feedback through an upcoming public consultation.
A spokesperson said, “Proposed changes will improve traffic flow and public safety, enhance the pedestrian experience, encourage City events, assist in deterring antisocial behaviour, add visual appeal, and upgrade the overall public experience of Hamilton.”
“The traffic light system at the junction of Church Street and Queen Street is almost four decades old and needs to be replaced,” explained City Engineer Patrick Cooper. “Our current system is dated and is unable to integrate with the new equipment being installed across the rest of the City to allow for smoother, safer and smarter traffic flow. We don’t want to simply put a Band-Aid on a significant problem, essentially kicking the can down the road. It’s about being proactive with our aging infrastructure.”
The spokesperson said, “The City plans to install a SCOOT system of traffic control at the junction. SCOOT [which stands for ‘Split Cycle and Offset Optimisation Technique’] is currently used in over 350 towns and cities around the world and uses live data from vehicle detectors to quickly adjust traffic signal settings to dramatically reduce vehicle delays and ensure road users’ time is optimised.”
“Upgrades will require major works such as trenching, sidewalk reconfiguration and the installation of underground conduits and cables,” said Mr. Cooper. “The City has decided to take this opportunity to redesign and improve the surrounding pedestrian space and upgrade the overall public experience of Hamilton. Part of the Department of Planning’s newly produced City Plan is about enhancing the pedestrian landscape and we are supporting and embracing those principals with this traffic intersection design proposal.”
The proposed project’s enhancements include:
- Improving lines of sight for pedestrians and motorists;
- Installation of more City trees;
- Creation of additional green spaces;
- Redesign of taxi ranks, pedestrian crossings, sidewalks and street parking;
- Improvements to the turning exit at the bus depot;
- Landscaping and expansion of Freedom Square;
- The relocation of the ‘When Voices Rise’ sculpture to a place of greater prominence;
- The installation of new pedestrian shaded shelters and increased street seating and planters;
- And significant landscaping at the Par-la-Ville car park entrance.
“Hamilton is the heart of Bermuda, and this project impacts us all,” said Mr. Cooper. “It’s vitally important to conduct a grassroots level of consultation because there may be things that weren’t accounted for in the plans – a different perspective, cultural sensitivity or practical observation.
“While the biggest impetus for us is improved public safety through better traffic management, a bonus coming out of this project is urban placemaking. We want to ensure we are doing the best we can for that area from an urban design perspective. We an unique opportunity to really examine what is working and perhaps what isn’t working. What we want to end up with is a plan which combines intelligent traffic management with considered design solutions that really pulls technology and urban design together.”
The spokesperson said, “The City has already had initial consultations with Government entities which have proved fruitful and supportive of the proposed plans. The City is proposing a progressive implementation of the works to minimize traffic disruptions.
“The City is encouraging the public to visit our project information booth at Pier 6 from 11am until 2pm on Thursday, March 14th to learn more about the project and provide feedback.
“The public can also view plans at www.cityofhamilton.bm [under ‘Stakeholder Information’] and provide feedback throughout the month of March by emailing consultation@cityhall.bm.”
I have an amazing idea!!
Stop making the sidewalks bigger and taking away parking. You are making the city less appealing to all the customers who want to spend.
There are far less people in the city. You are helping the numbers decline.
Spend money on making City Hall or Front St double/triple high parking like Bullshead. It doesn’t snow here but the people are lazy and need more central parking.
I lament the lack of parking in the City too, but most of the pavement works have been to accommodate those with special needs, not to make the City less appealing.
that’s a terrible idea :~)
When the green wheelie bins were introduced by COH and all companies were forced to get them, however free, I thought this was a good idea. One of my clients was just served notice by COH that they would name and shame any building or company still using garbage bags and not the green wheelie bins.
My peeve continues to be the unsightly green wheelie bins left out on sidewalks all day everyday all over the city causing pedestrians to have pause to let each other through on sidewalks because the green bins clogg the walkways as they now reside on sidewalks. Why hasnt the COH mandated that all empty wheelie bins be bought in off the sidewalk? This has become an eyesore in our city. COH, naming and shaming should start with you!! Order businesses and building owners to rid the sidewalks of all your green monsters.