Proposed overhaul of Rawlins Cross area would see intersection turned into roundabout

The City of St. John's is driving full speed ahead with plans to change how traffic flows around the city, and part of that plan could involve a major overhaul of Rawlins Cross in the downtown area.

Rawlins Cross, an intersectionwhereMilitary Road, Prescott Street and MonkstownRoad meet is an areamany consider to be one of the mostconfusing places to drive in Newfoundland and Labrador, if not Canada.

Now, the city is looking at a pilot projectthat would see all the traffic lights removed from Rawlins Cross and a new roundabout created atthe complicated intersection.

"The design is intended to compel drivers to decrease their speeds when approaching within the intersection," said Coun. Debbie Hanlon, who is also head of the city's traffic committee.

It's so crazy that it's actually on a poster for the weirdest intersections in the world.- Debbie Hanlon

The proposed configuration would see vehicles traveling counter-clockwise around several buildings on Military Road that would serve as theisland in the middle of theroundabout.

The section of Military Road between Prescott Street and Rennie's Mill Road would be closed entirely to traffic.

Traffic moving eastbound on Military Road would be required to turn right onto Prescott Street, then left onto Queens Road, and left again on Kings Road beforegoing either right onto Military Road or straight on Rennie's Mill Road.

Hanlon said engineers who designed the plan did so to makethe area easier to navigate and safer for drivers and pedestrians.

"The idea is to slow down traffic by guiding it into a flow rather than the way it is right now," she said.

"Of course some traffic is going to be diverted from elsewhere, but the idea was to have the traffic flow in a different pattern so that itis safer, especially for pedestrians walking there."

Old city, old roads

Hanlon said the new plan has only just been brought before council, and has to go through several approval processes before any work begins. She said all stakeholders, includingMetrobus and the RNC, would also have to be consulted before moving forward.

• VIDEO |Pac-Man navigates Rawlins Cross on Google Maps

She understands thereare those who disagree with the changes, including Mayor Danny Breen, but her advice to the citizens of St. John's is to be prepared for quite a few projects which will change traffic in the city in the coming months and years.

"We're still struggling with the old city infrastructure to make it modern, so there are challenges," she said.

Hanlon said in the case of Rawlins Cross, she and other city staff believesomething needs to be done to address what's considered a nightmare for both drivers wholive here and thosenavigating the city as tourists.

"It's so crazy that it's actually on a poster for the weirdest intersections in the world," she said.

"If they're doing maps with this intersection as the weirdest in the world, I think it's time we looked at it."