Elizabeth Avenue Street Rehabilitation and Shared Use Path

Pending approval at the regular Council meeting on Tuesday, July 11, a new multi-year construction project begins later this month on Elizabeth Avenue. Phase 1 this year spans from Bonaventure Avenue to Westerland Road with Phase 2 from Westerland Road to Freshwater Road slated to begin in 2024. The project includes both street rehabilitation and the construction of a shared-use path.

• Street rehabilitation includes new sidewalks, pedestrian crosswalks and select underground utilities.
• The shared-use path will be installed on a section of the north side of Elizabeth Avenue, adjacent to Memorial University, extending from Bonaventure Avenue to Paton Street.

Once completed, the project will be beneficial for all users of Elizabeth Avenue as the road surface will be improved and safety will be enhanced. Upgrades to Elizabeth Avenue will include:

• a new traffic signal at the Elizabeth Avenue/Newtown Road intersection to address safety concerns and allow pedestrian crossings on all intersection approaches
• an upgraded crosswalk and intersection at Elizabeth Avenue and Whiteway Street
• two new crosswalks with flashing beacons at Clark Place and near Halliday Place
• improved street lighting along the share-use-path area and at signalised intersections

The shared-use path will also improve accessibility and safety. The paved path on the university side of Elizabeth Avenue will be separated from motor vehicle traffic by a two-meter grass boulevard. The path will be three meters wide and will provide a space separate from motor vehicle traffic that can be used by all active transportation modes, enabling people to get around the city by walking, cycling, scooting, strolling, wheeling or rolling. This path will eventually connect to the planned network, enhancing active transportation across the City.

To complete this work, removal of various trees, shrubs and hedges along the north side of Elizabeth Avenue is required. However, once complete, trees, shrubs and hedges will be replanted along this route. The City’s Municipal Arborist is involved and will be consulted on removals, replanting, transplanting and other tree/shrub protection along the project route.

For details on the project, visit EngageStJohns.ca.

Elizabeth Avenue will remain open to traffic during construction. Portions of Elizabeth Avenue will be reduced to local access only through the work zones. Detours from Elizabeth Avenue to Whiteway Street will be in place using the local street network. Traffic delays and lane reductions will likely result while work is ongoing and will be announced at StJohns.ca.

This project was identified as an action in the City’s strategic plan, Our City, Our Future. We are committed to expanding and maintaining a safe and accessible active transportation system as we build a balanced transportation network to get people and goods where they want to go safely.