FAQs

• James Street  - Main Street to St. Joseph’s Drive
• John Street  - King Street to St. Joseph’s Drive
• St. Joseph’s Drive – James Street to John Street
• Charlton Avenue – James Street to John Street

When will the two-way conversion on these streets occur?

Construction works such as curb radii changes, underground services and removal of the traffic island at James Street and St. Joseph's Drive has begun.  Traffic signal, sign, and pavement marking changes will be completed late October, 2005.

How will the construction affect access to my business or home?

It is expected that access to all homes and businesses will be available during construction. At most, access may be interrupted temporarily in some areas.

Why is the City changing the streets from one-way to two-way traffic operations?

The City of Hamilton is committed to revitalize the Downtown core and make neighbourhood streets more accessible and pedestrian friendly.  To this end, the Downtown Transportation Master Plan was approved by Council in July 2001 under the Municipal Class EA process. The Plan identifies a set of changes to the transportation network that includes:

• conversion of primary and secondary streets from one-way operation to two-way operation;
• identification of street sections with excess lane capacity that can be used for improvements to the pedestrian environment;
• modifications to streets that will encourage recreational and commuter cycling;
• parking policies designed to influence mode choice (auto vs. bicycle, transit and walking) and encourage short-term high turnover parking for business / retail trips and discourage all-day commuter parking.
• create a pedestrian friendly street environment and to create a calming effect on the roadways to be converted to two-way traffic.

This project represents the second phase of the James Street/John Street Two Way Conversion as recommended in the Downtown Transportation Master Plan.

What are the benefits of changing these streets from one-way to two-way traffic operations?

1. There will be improved circulation and access opportunities within the study area with the way-finding of motorists being improved as well.
2. The local traffic circulation within the study area is forecast to improve.
3. There will be improved traffic circulation in the vicinity of St. Josephs Hospital.
4. This two-way conversion supports the initiatives of the Durand Neighborhood Traffic Study to reduce cut-through traffic on streets within the neighbourhood.
5. The Phase 2 Conversion will provide motorists with more choices in the Mountain Access Routes (Sherman Access/Cut).
6. The new traffic signal at James Street and St. Joseph’s Drive will provide improved pedestrian access and street crossings in this area. This has been a concern of St. Josephs Hospital for many years.
7. Upon completion of the project, James Street from Guise Street southerly to the Mountain Access Routes and John Street from Strachan Street southerly to the Mountain Access Routes will function as two-way streets.

What will happen to the on-street parking?

Many changes to the on-street parking and loading are necessary to maintain the traffic flow and facilitate the movement of trucks and buses. Based on the functional design plans, the implementation will require the relocation/removal of the following parking spaces:

1. On-street Parking and Loading will now be prohibited during the AM and PM Peak Hours and a No Stopping Regulation will be required on all the Phase 2 streets being converted to two-way traffic during those time periods.

2. Charlton Avenue – the current 11 meter parking spaces can be retained on the north side of Charlton Avenue. However No Stopping Regulations are required during both the AM and PM Peak Hours.

3. James Street – 16 metered parking spaces will be removed permanently. This will result in approximately seven metered spaces being retained between Charlton Avenue and Young Street. However No Stopping Regulations are required during both the AM and PM Peak Hours.  The 3 parking meters on the east side of James Street, north of Main Street will be maintained as this section of James Street currently operates as two-way traffic.

4. John Street – 5 metered spaces on the west side between Main and Hunter are to be removed permanently. These parking meters were recently installed on John Street with the understanding with the adjacent owners that they would be removed at such time as John Street is converted to two-way traffic. The metered spaces on the east side of John Street between Young and Haymarket are proposed to be relocated to the west side of the street. It may be possible to fit two more spaces but will be subject to detailed field review. However, No Stopping Regulations are required during both the AM and PM Peak Hours.

5. John Street – north of King Street on the west side. In order to provide for traffic lane balance at this intersection, the parking bay and the first 4 metered parking spaces on the west side of John Street, north of King Street, will have to be removed permanently.

In summary, the Phase 2 conversion will require the permanent removal of approximately 25 metered parking spaces and replacing them with No Parking/No Stopping regulations on the streets being converted. Further, No Stopping Regulations are required during the AM and PM Peak Hours. Parking and loading enforcement will be a critical issue with Phase 2 implementation in order to maintain adequate flow for both private and City (Public Transit, EMS) motor vehicles.  Please note that the City will review the traffic flow conditions during the 6 month period following implementation of the two-way conversion. This review will include areas where metered on-street parking can be reintroduced in the off-peak hours.

With the change to two-way traffic, wouldn’t there be a lot of congestion and delay?

The impacts of conversion of Phase 2 (James/John – south of Main Street) are more significant than Phase 1 (James/John – north of Main Street). This is due to the fact that these portions of James Street and John Street have more traffic and therefore have less unused capacity in the roadway to allow for changes. The trade off, as in Phase 1, is improved opportunity for local circulation, plus the other benefits as outlined above.

The implementation of James/John Phase 2 Conversion to two way traffic operations is expected to result in a shift of travel patterns for traffic travelling to/from the downtown and the mountain. It is expected drivers using the upbound lanes of the Jolley Cut will shift from James Street to John Street to avoid having to shift over at St. Josephs Drive in the afternoon rush hour. Similarly, drivers using James Mountain Road will be able to continue northbound on James Street to access the core area in the morning rush hour.

With the need to accommodate crossover traffic being reduced, St. Josephs Drive and Charlton Avenue will be better suited for providing access to and circulation around St. Josephs Hospital.

The success of introducing the conversion of this Phase 2 project will, in part, depend on the driver’s ability to adapt to the new travel patterns, to find the new routing that the conversion makes available, that drivers will choose different routes and create the best balance between routes. For instance, motorists travelling north on James Mountain Road in the morning are no longer required to divert to John Street via St. Josephs Drive. Instead they can travel due north all the way to Main Street and past. However, it is expected that right turns onto Main Street will be distributed between traffic using James Street and traffic using John Street. If the balance is not discovered by motorists there may be significant congestion on one street while the other street is under-utilized. We anticipate with the construction of Phase 2, thus completing the entire James Street/John Street conversion, motorists will discover and use the new travel options. The most difficult aspect of the required changes in travel patterns will be the congestion that will occur during the period after introduction until drivers find routes with less delay. This is, in part, the reason for the change over occurring in the summer when traffic volumes are generally lower.

Compared to today, drivers will generally experience slower moving traffic which results in longer trip times and increased emissions, particularly in some locations; however, in others, congestion is expected to decrease. Overall, the traffic level of service in the area will still be within the City’s acceptable level of service standard.

Can motorists still make left turns on James Street and John Street?

Depending on the final detailed design and the travel patterns, there may be the requirement for left turn bans at several minor cross-street intersections, either during rush hours or full-time. Generally these will be for movements that are not possible now due to one-way flow of James Street or John Street. Conversely the new configuration allows for southbound lefts from John Street to Charlton and northbound lefts from James to Charlton, making for much easier access to the Sherman Access/Cut system from downtown.

Will new traffic signals be installed on James Street or John Street?

The two-way traffic conversion requires a new traffic signal installation at the intersection of James Street and St. Josephs Drive. This traffic signal is required to facilitate many southbound left turn movements which now face opposing northbound traffic. This signal installation will also improve pedestrian crossings in the area around St. Josephs Hospital which has been an issue for some time.

The two-way traffic conversion will also require the installation of a new traffic signal at the exit from the Go Station to John Street for safety and operational reasons. A meeting was held on site with representatives from GO Transit and City staff and GO staff completed trial runs with their inter-city buses to ensure the traffic movements from new lanes and directions were physically possible.

How much will this Phase 2 Two-Way conversion construction cost?

The estimated capital costs of modifying the existing traffic signals, the installation of two new traffic signals, the physical roadway improvements, installation and modification to the on-site traffic control and information signs, pavement marking removals and installation is approximately $1.5 million.

Will some street trees be removed due to the work?

The construction will likely require the removal of some street trees on the east side of James Street, north of Charlton Avenue due to a minor pavement widening to establish the minimum lane widths of 3.0m. The City will take all steps possible to minimize any tree removal and will try to replace the street tree around the same area where they are removed.

There may also be some tree removals at the southwest corner of Main Street and John Street and John Street and Charlton Avenue due to the turning radius improvements required.

Will the truck routes and truck route times change?

It is anticipated that the truck routes will remain as they are currently. It is expected that trucks will still be signed to travel south on James Street and north on John Street as they travel today.

Some of the existing and newly available turning movements will be tight and difficult for trucks and buses to make.

How will the Project affect GO Transit and HSR bus routes?

HSR, GO Transit and other inter-regional bus service will be generally unaffected. As noted above, a traffic signal will be installed at the GO Station exit at John Street to ensure movement of buses exiting onto John Street.

Where will the major street construction occur?

The east side of James Street from Charlton Avenue southerly will be impacted, the island at St. Joseph’s Drive and James Street will be removed, St. Joseph’s Drive will be reconstructed with new pavement and a new municipal sidewalk on the north side from James Street to John Street. The other area of major construction will be the intersection of John Street/Arkledun and St. Josephs Drive. The traffic island revisions and additions at the intersection of John Street and St. Josephs Drive will require that northbound traffic on John Street, south of Arkledun Avenue, turn right only.

There are many areas of minor construction and these will be shown on the website as soon as the final construction plans have been tendered and the pavement marking drawings prepared for the streets being converted from one-way to two-way traffic operations are completed.

How will this Phase 2 conversion affect St. Joseph’s Hospital and the Emergency Medical Service response?

The Downtown Transportation Master Plan Study and meetings with EMS in 2003, confirmed that the mandated fire response time will not be exceeded in any downtown areas. This is primarily because there will be more direct routing for emergency fire vehicles accessing fire zones and better access opportunities to St. Josephs Hospital.

In 2003, staff from both the Fire Department and EMS confirmed their ability to accommodate changes to traffic flow on James Street and John Street. At that time, both EMS and the Fire Department indicated their support for the project.

We have and are continuing to meet with representatives of St. Josephs Hospital to ensure a smooth transition for Hospital operations on-site. The Hospital agreed that the Phase 2 Conversion will improve the overall accessibility to the Hospital. Secondly the installation of a traffic signal at James Street and St. Josephs Drive would provide much improved pedestrian access at this intersection and provide improved pedestrian connectivity from the neighbourhood areas west of James Street.

Although the direction of the emergency access ramp adjacent to James Street would be reversed, it would still operate satisfactorily.

Will there be any changes to our garbage and blue box pickup?

We are not aware of any changes to the date or the times of the pickup either during or after the construction and two-way conversion has been completed. Any changes will be posted and the public notified as the information becomes available.

Will the City be installing new sidewalks and streetscaping with Phase 2 two-way traffic conversion on these streets?

The conversion of the streets from one-way traffic operations to two-way traffic operations will generally be contained within the existing roadway pavement except for James Street, north and south of St.Josephs Drive and the traffic island revisions and additions at the intersection of John Street and St. Josephs Drive.

There are no plans at this time to reconstruct the sidewalks and construct general streetscape improvements. The only major new sidewalk addition will be on the north side of St. Josephs Drive.