John Counter Boulevard and Montreal Street intersection and pathway improvements

Public consultation on rest areas has closed. We will report back with the engagement summary by mid-March.

As part of the City’s ongoing efforts to make it easier to get around Kingston through active modes of transportation and improved pedestrian safety, we are reconstructing the intersection of John Counter Boulevard and Montreal Street and connecting the new Waaban Crossing multi-use pathway from Ascot Lane west to the K&P trailhead at Elliott Avenue at John Counter Boulevard. In addition, new cycle tracks and sidewalks are proposed on Montreal Street close to the intersection.

This project will help fill a gap in the City’s current cycling network and is a project identified in our Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) and Five-Year Active Transportation Implementation Plan (ATIP). Please see the map below illustrating the general project location.

This project is currently in the detailed design stage with construction scheduled to begin in 2024 and be completed by the end of 2024, with limited carryover work into 2025 if needed.

Project highlights

• New lighting, traffic signals, lanes, paving and signage at the intersection of John Counter Boulevard and Montreal Street;

• The addition of turning aprons (see image and description below) on the four corners of the intersection to help large vehicles turn around the corners while maintaining a safe distance from pedestrians;

• New multi-use pathway along the south side of John Counter Boulevard from Elliott Avenue to Ascot Lane;

• New transit stop features such as bus lanes and bus pads near the intersection;

• New cycle tracks and sidewalks close to the John Counter Boulevard and Montreal Street intersection;

• New road paving along Montreal Street from Briceland Street to Cassidy Street; and

• Rehabilitation of the Montreal Street bridge north of John Counter Boulevard including new pavement, sidewalks and railings.

Reconstruction of the intersection

The drawings in the News Feed below illustrate the proposed road layout at the intersection. Each leg of the intersection has a dedicated right turn, left turn and through movement to help accommodate the new traffic from the Waaban Crossing.

Turning aprons

Each corner of the intersection has turning aprons proposed to lower turning speeds which helps increase pedestrian safety. These turning aprons have lower curbs to allow larger trucks to drive over them while turning, while also keeping pedestrians safe and highly visible to all users at the intersection. The turning aprons are indicated in deep magenta in the images in the News Feed.

Multi-use pathway

A new multi-use pathway along the south side of John Counter Boulevard from Elliott Avenue to Ascot Lane will replace the old sidewalk that is currently there. The pathway will be three metres wide and include the addition of pedestrian street lighting to illuminate the pathway. The pathway will wrap around the corner of Elliott Avenue and John Counter Boulevard and connect to the K&P trailhead that heads south.

Cycling and sidewalk infrastructure

This project will extend on-road bike lanes:

• Along the north side of John Counter Boulevard from Maple Street to Tim Horton’s, and

• Along both sides of Montreal Street from John Counter Boulevard to Briceland Street.

Cycle track ramps are located near the intersection to help cyclists enter and exit the bike lanes from/to the road.

Sidewalks will be replaced where needed along Montreal Street from Cassidy Street to Briceland Street. A new sidewalk is planned for the east side of Montreal Street from John Counter Boulevard to Village Drive.

Landscaping and trees

There may be some trees that need to be removed along the south side of John Counter Boulevard between Elliott Avenue and Montreal Street to accommodate the new pathway and associated lighting. The City will protect any remaining trees that are in the construction area. The landscaping will be soil and grass within the boulevard spaces, including the large area on the northeast corner of John Counter Boulevard at Montreal Street.

Impacts to residents, businesses and emergency services

The City is coordinating the work to ensure that access to residential and businesses in the project area will have minimal impact and will remain open at all times. Some short-term exceptions may be needed during certain construction works such as piping or paving. Emergency services and Kingston Transit will have priority access through any construction zones and will be coordinated once a contractor has been selected for the work.