Change of plan for Hall-Vernon intersection revealed
By Bill Metcalfe
One of the proposals in the City of Nelson’s planned revitalization of Hall Street has been to make the 300 block of Hall Street (the steep hill just below Vernon) one way downhill, to deal with visibility issues for drivers in that intersection. But the city has heard concerns from residents and businesses about this, so it’s been revisited.
On Monday night, city management staff Pam Mierau and Colin Innes presented the proposed updated plan.
Within the Hall-Vernon intersection, traffic flow would be shifted south (in the direction of Baker Street). In other words, the meeting of east-west and north-south traffic would happen further away from the crest of the hill, allowing drivers to see each other sooner.
This would be done by putting pedestrian bulb-outs on the four corners of the intersection, restricting traffic flow somewhat but making it more pedestrian friendly.
The intersection would be a four-way stop.
Also, the ground level at the crest of the hill would be slightly excavated to round off the curvature at the top, allowing better visibility.
These changes would allow the city to keep the 300-block of Hall a two-way street.
Last year the plans for a one-way on Hall triggered plans for changes to traffic patterns on Cedar and High Streets and the east end of Baker. Those plans, despite the current possible backtracking on a one-way on Hall, appear to still be in the works according the drawings presented by Mierau and Innes on Monday.
Councillors Janice Morrison and Bob Adams criticized the traffic changes, saying they agree with the plan for the revitalization of Hall Street but that traffic should be left alone.
Mierau and Innes also outlined proposed changes to parking in the downtown—a variation on earlier suggestions over the past year— which they said would amount to a net increase of 9 stalls in the downtown.
Phase 1 of the project—changes to IODE Park and the creation of a public plaza in the 500 block of Hall Street—will begin in the spring.
There will be a public open house about the current version of the Hall Street plan on January 26 from 4pm to 7pm at the Adventure Hotel.
The city has started a Facebook page for the project called Stores to Shores Downtown Revitalization Project—City of Nelson.
Related stories in The Nelson Daily:
Upcoming traffic and parking changes in downtown Nelson, part 1 (August 2014)
Parking and traffic changes, part 2: Nelson will add 35 new on-street parking spaces downtown (August 2014)
Changes in the works for traffic flow in key Nelson intersections (September 2013)
City unveils plans for the transformation of Hall Street (June 2013)
New Corridors to the Waterfront: Development of Hall Street and Cottonwood Creek to Come Before Council This Fall (October 2012)
City Will Unveil Plans for Hall St. Revitalization at Public Open House (October 2012)
