A plan to reconstruct Laclie Street is moving to its next phase, and what it could look like is coming into view.
Council committee received an update on the project this week and gave staff the go-ahead to proceed with a municipal class environmental assessment, which will allow for design options to be explored further.
That process will be based on council committee’s decision, which will be up for ratification at next week’s council meeting.
Council committee opted for the following: two lanes with bus lay-bys and no bike lanes between Neywash and North streets, two or three lanes with bike lanes and no bus lay-bys from North Street to somewhere between North and St. Jean streets, and three lanes with bike lanes and no bus lay-bys between that point and Murray Street.
That was the option recommended by staff.
The proposal to keep Laclie Street at two lanes from Neywash to North streets was made, in part, because there are more than 20 houses along that stretch that are within three metres of the right-of-way. Any widening “would significantly reduce the already narrow clearance from the edge of the asphalt to those houses,” said project engineer Stan Martinello.
“I’m greatly relieved that it’s two lanes up to North Street because ... I’ve had numerous comments from people on Laclie Street who really wanted to see it stay at two lanes,” said Coun. Pat Hehn.
She asked what the situation would be like if the road remained at two lanes all the way to Murray Street, with bike lanes and bus lay-bys added.
“I travel Laclie Street a whole lot. I don’t see a whole lot of traffic on it. I never have a problem at Fittons and Laclie. I just don’t see a problem,” she said.
Doing so could lead to traffic delays, particularly in the commercial area near the Laclie Street Plaza and along some side streets north of Fittons Road, Martinello said.
“Without a common left-turn lane there, there would be significant delays to traffic from the side streets — by the year 2041, in fairness,” he said.
The staff recommendation is based on a traffic assessment that looks to 2041.
“While it may not be a huge issue now, it’s not to say that, by 2041, it won’t be an issue,” he said.
Hehn noted a seven-storey condo building will be constructed at 570 Laclie St., near Sundial Drive and Hughes Road, but said otherwise there wasn’t much new residential development planned for that area.
“I’m not sure how much future development you see happening in that whole area … It’s not a busy arterial road. It’s not one people tend to come into the city from,” she said. “So, I’m not sure why you think it’s going to be that much busier.”
“As the city grows,” Martinello responded, “there definitely will be more use of Laclie Street as an arterial road for people coming and going to the highway, particularly as the downtown residential areas come to fruition or the push to have more people living downtown comes to fruition.”
There could also be the possibility of other developments along Laclie Street, he added.
Mayor Steve Clarke pointed out the city’s population is expected to grow to about 50,000 by 2041.
“It’s a significant population from 2016, when we had our last census data, or even from where we are now, and I think there would be significantly more traffic as a result of that,” he said.
Hehn wanted to go with an alternative option that would see Laclie Street remain at two lanes with bus lay-bys and no bike lanes between Neywash and North streets, but with bike lanes and no bus lay-bys between North and Murray streets.
That didn’t happen, as council committee voted 5-4 to approve the staff recommendation. Voting in favour were councillors Mason Ainsworth, David Campbell, Ted Emond and Rob Kloostra, with Clarke breaking the tie.
Some consultation about the Laclie Street reconstruction has already taken place, but more will be needed if council rubber-stamps committee’s decision to widen part of the road to three lanes.
Following that process, more detailed designs will be created.
Construction is set to occur over three construction seasons, beginning in 2023. Staff will submit funding requests for the project from the 2022, 2023 and 2024 budgets.
In 2019, council approved a $750,000 budget for the municipal class environmental assessment.
