Crash at Rawlins Cross 2 days after roundabout removed

People have been injured in a two-vehicle crash at Rawlins Cross, about 48 hours after the intersection was converted from a traffic circle to an intersection with trafficlights.

A black Honda sedan struckan iron fence in front of a home on Military Road after colliding with a green SUV, which had its front endextensively damaged.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary confirmed the accident happened at 7:50 a.m. Sunday, but couldn't say how seriously people were injured. Police, firefighters and paramedics responded to the accident.

St. John's city council voted 7-4 on March 31to reinstate traffic lights at the intersection and scrap a pilot project that turned the area into a roundabout. The decision was made despite city staff's recommendation to keep the traffic circle citing fewer accidents and injuries.

Work to restore the traffic lights began around 8 a.m. Friday morning.

"We will see some T-bones, there's no question about it, where a roundabout would basically, virtually eliminate T-bones," said Sandy Hickman, St. John's city council lead for transportation and regulatory services.

"So that's a bit of a concern," he said.

Hickman, who voted to keep the traffic circle, said council changed the intersection because people were concerned aboutpedestrian safety.

"They heard from a lot of people that were pedestrians going through the area on a regular basis, that it was much safer with traffic lights that they could control.They could be assured that cars were going to stop for them," he said.

Hickman said if council had decided to keep the traffic circle, they would have shortened crosswalks and changed curbs to make the intersection safer for pedestrians.

He said it will take time for people to adjust to the configuration at Rawlins Cross and drivers will have to changehabits and awareness levels.

"Hopefully nothing happens again in the near future," he said.

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