Fredericton highway roundabout construction set to begin in June

Fredericton motorists are bracing for one of the biggest road construction projects the city has seen in years, the Highway 8 roundabout.

The project has been in the works for more than three years, but thetender has now been awarded to KDB Engineers/Contractors Inc.and construction is scheduled to beginnext month.

It is expected to be completed and open by mid-September.

The cityhas appointed two staff members to oversee the work, including transit managerDarren Charters, whoconceived of the idea when he was Fredericton's traffic engineer.

He says a lot of work has gone into the construction staging plan to minimize disruptions. Traffic will be rerouted in the east or westbound lanes, depending on the stage of work, he said.

The city also plans to launch an education campaign in August, teaching drivers how to negotiate the roundabout safely from the four-lanehighway.It has already prepared an animated simulation to help prepare drivers.

Roundabouts are "much safer than the traditional T-bone designed intersection," said Charters.

The city originally wanted to put an overpass across Highway 8 to connect Smythe Street and Bishop Drive to relieve some of the rush-hour pressure on Regent Street. But the municipal and provincial governments did not have the money to cover themulti-million-dollar idea.

A roundabout was suggested as a cheaper alternative and one that Charters contends isthe safest way to join two streets across another street.

The next step was to get approval from provincial engineers and advice from planners across the country with expertise in roundabouts.

There was also some delay while council sold the idea to voters.

One of the selling points of the project is the fact it will ease a lot of north-south traffic withtwo main arteries Smythe and Regent streets.

Preparations for the roundabout began last summer, including road widening andcurbing. Approaches on Smythe Street and leading from Bishop Drivewere also prepared.

The city will look after winter maintenance leading north and south to and from roundabout, while the provincial government will take care of theeast-west portions.