Braecrest corridor options up for discussion

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This article was published 22/11/2018 (2508 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A meeting to discuss potential options for Braecrest Drive will take place in February, as the City of Brandon and others look to increase safety and improve traffic along the east-west corridor.

The city has partnered with Manitoba Infrastructure and Assiniboine Community College on a functional design study of the Braecrest Drive corridor, an approximately 1.6-kilometre long stretch that runs between 18th Street North and First Street North.

A specific day has not been set for the meeting, but Coun. Jeff Fawcett (Assiniboine) said information will be issued to the public closer to the date.

Recent development in the area has resulted in increased vehicle traffic and concerns from local residents about safety for pedestrians and vehicles, particularly at the 18th Street North and Braecrest Drive intersection.

The matter also became a point of discussion during the last municipal election.

“It was definitely a very large issue for a lot of them,” Fawcett said. “They wanted to know that something was being looked at, something was going to be addressed.”

The city awarded a $207,820 tender to WSP Canada Group Ltd. this fall to develop a recommended design for the corridor, which may include options to improve the 18th Street North and First Street North intersections, active transportation, city transit, and access to Assiniboine.

No solutions have been proposed yet, but a timeline of events posted to the city’s website says a preferred design could be chosen by February or March of next year, with a public presentation submitted in April and the functional design study presented in May.

“It doesn’t feel like there’s quick fixes or a perfect solution, but we want to make it the best that we can and more efficient,” Fawcett said.

A previous 1997 study recommended against installing signal lights at Braecrest Drive and 18th Street North due to increased wait times at the intersection, poor sight lines and a vertical grade of 6.5 per cent on 18th Street North.

A second phase to the study was done in 1998, which resulted in Manitoba Infrastructure making improvements to the 18th Street North and First Street North intersections.

But concerns have been raised in recent years following the November 2016 death of an 84-year-old Brandon woman, who was killed after the SUV she was travelling in collided with a car travelling northbound on 18th Street North.

Ken Templeton, owner of the White Swan and Highland Park mobile home courts on the North Hill, said if lights aren’t installed, then those involved in the project need to find a way to fix the “snafu” that is the 18th Street North intersection.

“The 18th Street-Braecrest Drive (intersection) has got to be addressed somehow and sooner rather than later,” he said.

Rather than attempt to make the turn, Templeton said drivers will take a detour down Knowlton Drive and go to the Kirkcaldy Drive lights instead, which increases traffic around Kirkcaldy Heights School.

He also suggested connecting both sides of Clare Avenue, located on the north side of Northern Pines Golf Course, in order to relieve the pressure on Braecrest Drive.

“I just think that overall, there needs to be some sit-down with some people who own large pieces of property around there that are dealing with large numbers of tenants,” he said.

The city has invited members of the public to provide feedback on the Braecrest Drive corridor study leading up to the meeting in February.

An online survey and interactive map of the study area can be found at brandon.ca/current-projects/braecrest-functional.

The survey and map will close on Dec. 6.

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