Master Plans & Studies
Main Street Two Way Conversion Study
On May 11, 2022, Council approved a motion focused on the development of further safety enhancements on major arterial roads, including the conversion of Main Street from a one-way to a two-way road.
Following this approval, staff have moved forward in developing an implementation plan for the two-way conversion of Main Street between King Street E (the “Delta” intersection) and Longwood Road S. The implementation plan will integrate a Complete Streets redesign that will enable safe use for all road users including public transit passengers, pedestrians, motorists and cyclists and will also incorporate a climate change lens by considering additions such as urban trees and permeable surfaces in the planning process.
Location: Main Street (Longwood Road to King Street)
Study status: Active
Classification: Schedule A+
UPDATE: As part of the lane reconfiguration work that has been occurring during the overnight hours along Main Street this week, the City is providing additional details regarding the implementation of a Transit Priority Signal and designated bus-only lane at the intersection of Main Street and MacNab Street as highlighted in the media release shared below.
A Transit Priority Signal is a signal light with a white vertical bar on a black background that allows transit buses to proceed through an intersection before other traffic. Only public-transit buses may proceed when the Transit Priority Signal is shown. All other vehicles must remain stopped. Effective tomorrow, this signal will be in place to help ease the flow of traffic, reduce the chance of collision, and allow transit buses to safely merge into the intersection ahead of other vehicles.
Additionally, this evening crews will be adding “Bus Only” pavement markings in an 85 metre section of Main Street between MacNab Street and City Hall that allows transit buses to safely pull over to pick up passengers and prepare to enter the Main Street and MacNab Street intersection when the Transit Priority Signal is activated.
Motorists looking to turn right on MacNab Street from Main Street are advised that the new right turn lane is located beside the bus-only lane. Right turns are only permitted once the traffic signal has turned green. Motorists must remain stopped until the Transit Priority Signal turns off and the traffic light turns green.
Improvement measures will be identified and implemented in a phased approach. Staff will assess each measure and classify it as either a short-term or long-term project:
- short-term means implementation is immediate or in the near future
- long-term means additional work is required (i.e. studies, design work, coordination with the capital program, etc.) before implementation
While the study is ongoing, staff will proceed with safety improvements between 2022 and 2023. Improvements currently under consideration include:
- Expanded and enhanced pedestrian space
- Temporary lane reductions
- Removal of parking restrictions
- Reduced speed limit
- Synchronized traffic signal options
- No right turn on red restrictions at intersections
- Leading pedestrian intervals
Short-term Immediate Measures
In addition to the two-way conversion, the Main Street Conversion project includes immediate measures that focus on roadway safety improvements for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
Over the summer months, the City will be completing these safety improvement projects along Main Street and King Street:
- The addition of on-street parking to reduce the number of travel lanes while also providing a buffer between pedestrians and moving traffic.
- The implementation of leading pedestrian intervals to provide priority to and increase visibility of pedestrians at intersections.
- Pedestrian walk speed modification to 1.0 m/s from 1.2 m/s to allow additional time for pedestrians, especially seniors and those with mobility devices, to complete their crossing safely.
- Pedestrian “countdown” signals to communicate to pedestrians the amount of time remaining to safely cross the signalized intersection.
- No right turn on red restrictions at the majority of Main Street and King Street signalized intersections to enhance pedestrian safety by limiting vehicles encroaching onto the crosswalk and helps separate pedestrians and motorists using the intersection.
- Pedestrian crossing enhancements such as ladder crossing markings, new intersection pedestrian signals at two locations and Hamilton’s first Pedestrian Priority Phase at Main Street and Summer Lane.
- Reducing Main Street between Dundurn Street and Sherman Avenue to four lanes instead of five to provide a pedestrian buffer along the south side and to enable parking changes along the north side.
- Intersection improvements at the Main and MacNab intersection to provide priority to transit vehicles.
- Speed management changes including the installation of dynamic speed signs along Main Street and King Street, implementation of Community Safety Zones and the possible implementation of Automated Speed Enforcement cameras along Main Street.
Date modified
September 22, 2022