Williamsville Transportation Study

Shaping the Princess Street Corridor
The City of Kingston is completing the second phase of a transportation study of Princess Street, from east of Bath Road and Concession Street to Division Street, known as the Williamsville Main Street area. The purpose of this study is to develop the preferred cross-section for this section of the Princess Street corridor. It continues work completed in 2020 to support the proposed planning policy amendments for the Williamsville Main Street Study.
The initial phase of the 2020 transportation study confirmed that the Williamsville corridor is capable of accommodating the additional growth and traffic projected through the Williamsville study area without mitigation. That study also identified that both existing and future growth in the Williamsville area have relatively high rates of walking, biking and transit use. Therefore, it is important to accommodate the demand for these non-passenger vehicle modes of transportation.
One major constraint identified during the first phase of the transportation study was the limited right-of-way space. It is not possible for Princess Street to simultaneously be a transit priority corridor, a cycling spine route, a pedestrian-friendly corridor, and an arterial roadway leading to the downtown core. Therefore, a second phase of the study needs to identify the role, function and cross-section for the Princess Street corridor.
This second phase study will be used to guide and inform current and future projects along Princess Street, including a segment of Princess Street from Alfred to Division Streets, which has funding for future reconstruction.
More on Williamsville transportation
If you’re interested in more information regarding related work we're also seeking input on green streets and neighbourhood bike routes in Williamsville.

Shaping the Princess Street Corridor
The City of Kingston is completing the second phase of a transportation study of Princess Street, from east of Bath Road and Concession Street to Division Street, known as the Williamsville Main Street area. The purpose of this study is to develop the preferred cross-section for this section of the Princess Street corridor. It continues work completed in 2020 to support the proposed planning policy amendments for the Williamsville Main Street Study.
The initial phase of the 2020 transportation study confirmed that the Williamsville corridor is capable of accommodating the additional growth and traffic projected through the Williamsville study area without mitigation. That study also identified that both existing and future growth in the Williamsville area have relatively high rates of walking, biking and transit use. Therefore, it is important to accommodate the demand for these non-passenger vehicle modes of transportation.
One major constraint identified during the first phase of the transportation study was the limited right-of-way space. It is not possible for Princess Street to simultaneously be a transit priority corridor, a cycling spine route, a pedestrian-friendly corridor, and an arterial roadway leading to the downtown core. Therefore, a second phase of the study needs to identify the role, function and cross-section for the Princess Street corridor.
This second phase study will be used to guide and inform current and future projects along Princess Street, including a segment of Princess Street from Alfred to Division Streets, which has funding for future reconstruction.
More on Williamsville transportation
If you’re interested in more information regarding related work we're also seeking input on green streets and neighbourhood bike routes in Williamsville.
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Oct. 26 open house display boards
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkA public open house was held on Oct. 26 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Luke’s Anglican Church (236 Nelson St.). City staff and members of the project team were available to answer questions about the project. The presentation boards that were displayed at the meeting are available below for reference.
During the open house there was a survey conducted. An online version of that survey is open until Nov. 17.
Study background
Princess Street context Williamsville Main Street study update
Complementary cycling facilities Williamsville Main Street study update phase two
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Notice of public open house
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkCommunity members are invited to a Public Open House at St. Luke’s Anglican Church (236 Nelson St.) on Oct. 26. The event is a drop-in style open house and community members may come by anytime between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
This open house is being hosted to present additional information based on the community engagement completed in the spring. It is particularly focused on the transportation priorities and concepts along Princess Street, between Division and Concession Street, also known as Williamsville Mainstreet.
Community members can learn about the study’s analysis completed to date, view the concepts that have been developed and ask questions of technical experts. Staff from the City of Kingston will also be seeking feedback on how to improve neighbourhood bike routes in the Williamsville area.
Feedback received during the open house will be used in the study process to refine options for the community to consider. In January a first draft report on transportation options, including the feedback received through the study, will be released for more public comment. That feedback will be used to further refine the report before it goes to City Council and committee in February 2024.
Background
In the spring of 2023, the City of Kingston began the second phase of a transportation study of Princess Street through Williamsville. The area around Williamsville is growing and great care needs to be taken to plan for the future of transportation along Princess Street to ensure it meets the needs of the community.
Princess Street is currently a very significant route for pedestrians, personal and commercial motor vehicles, transit (including express service) and cyclists. However, the width of the street is fixed and that makes it a challenge to prioritize all modes of travel on that street. This study seeks to identify the options for transportation planning to support growth in the neighbourhood and community well-being.
For more details, background and history on the Williamsville Transportation study visit the City’s of Kingston’s public engagement hub, Get Involved Kingston. We are also seeking feedback on Green Streets in Williamsville, learn more and let us know what you think.
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Background & project goals
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkProject Goals
The proposed vision for the corridor is to enhance east-west walkability, improve accessibility and integration with existing and planned developments, sidewalks, connections to side streets and prioritize transit travel times through the corridor. Other elements to consider include providing green elements like trees and planters in strategic areas and other amenities where space permits (e.g. bike racks, benches, shelters).
Reconfigure the right-of-way to improve the pedestrian experience with wider sidewalks and amenities.
Prioritize transit travel times throughout the corridor.
Minimize impacts on traffic operations associated with the proposed changes.
Identify viable alternatives to support cyclists within the broader study area.
What’s Proposed
The City is studying different alternatives for the cross-section of Princess Street between the intersections of Bath Road, Concession Street and Division Street.
The ultimate recommendation for the corridor may be different for select blocks along the corridor, based on how the below parameters are layered into the study.
Previous studies have shown that walking and transit are the two most popular modes of transportation through this corridor. Therefore, this study starts by prioritizing those two elements in options that are being considered.
The images below show what two areas of the corridor currently look like and a conceptual rendering of what that area could look like in the future.
Looking South Along Princess Street at Smith Street - Current View
There is one vehicular travel lane in each direction and space for parking along the nearside curb. The asphalt is cracked and patched. Tall buildings line both sides of the street with narrow sidewalks abutted next to the buildings. The nearside sidewalk is a standard, uninviting 1.2-1.5m width, and is uneven. Very limited visually appealing street amenities are provided, though there are some trees and planters on private property along the far side of the street.
Looking South Along Princess Street at Smith Street - Conceptual View
People walking along a widened pedestrian realm next to a mid-rise, high density residential building at the edge of the property line on Princess Street. Trees, planters, streetlighting poles, benches and bike racks line both sides of the street.
Looking North Along Princess Street at Alfred Street - Current View
Typical signalized intersection on Princess Street. There is one vehicular travel lane in each direction and a left-turning lane at the traffic signals. The asphalt pavement features numerous cracks, uneven pavement and patches. Narrow bike lanes are present on both sides of the street along the curb and transit bus stops are located at the corners of the intersection. Standard 1.2-1.5m sidewalks, with crosswalks at the intersection, line both sides of the street and do not provide tactile walking surfaces. Visually appealing street amenities are limited and the intersection appears uninviting.
Looking North Along Princess Street at Alfred Street - Conceptual View
Typical signalized intersection on Princess Street. People crossing at decorative crosswalks while a bus waits in a transit queue jump lane closest to the sidewalk curb area. A few trees can be seen lining both sides of the street in background.
Please Note: Renderings are provided to illustrate the scale and character of the proposed construction and do not necessarily represent the final design. The final design will be subject to the detailed design process which is underway
What’s Known
- The corridor is tight, there is no additional space available.
- The corridor is intended to remain an Arterial Road; maintain one travel lane in each direction for vehicle mode share
- Initial modeling has identified the need for turning lanes at the intersection of Princess Street and MacDonnell and Princess Street and Victoria Street
What’s Being Considered
- Reduction of vehicle travel lane widths to between 3m and 3.3m.
- Increase and support walkability by widening sidewalks, improving the accessibility of sidewalks, and the addition of green elements such as trees.
- Improve transit consistency – this may include modifications to some of the vehicle travel lanes and changes at intersections (introducing turning restrictions at some intersections) to introduce transit queue jumps and prioritize transit operations along the corridor.
- Identify ways that cycling can be considered throughout the neighborhood.
- Removal of on-street parking along the corridor to allocate more space to support improvements for the pedestrian realm and transit.
Cyclists
This section of Princess Street currently forms part of the City’s spine cycling network. However, existing bike lanes without a buffer along this corridor do not provide the level of comfort that most riders would expect when riding along a high-volume roadway. And with space constraints along the right-of-way, it is not possible to improve or maintain the bike facilities along this corridor after incorporating pedestrian and transit improvements.
Alternatives being considered:
- Promoting the use of Brock and Johnson Streets as part of the spine cycling network, and provide connections along Palace Road or Sir John A, up to Bath Road.
- Developing Concession Street as part of the spine cycling network alternative to connect into future bike facilities along Princess Street, west of Bath Road, and connect into existing and proposed bike facilities along Division Street.
- Developing neighbourhood bike routes – these routes would be formalized with wayfinding and could potentially include traffic calming and other measures to promote cycling along these areas.
- Confident cyclists can also continue to bike along Princess Street as part of traffic.
Drivers
How this arterial roadway will look for drivers is very much uncertain. What we do know is that there will be at least one travel-through lane in each direction to maintain vehicular and transit movements through the area.
What is being considered:
- Changes to lane configurations and turning movements – such as the elimination of some or all dedicated left-turn lanes to facilitate bus movement and reduce congestion.
- Changes along the sidewalks and at intersections such as street furnishings (benches, planters and similar things), trees, transit shelters and other features that will make pedestrians and cyclists more visible at intersections.
- Removing on-street parking to support maintaining two through-lanes and maintaining turn lanes at two key locations (Macdonell Street and Victoria Street), to allow transit to move smoothly while reducing congestion.
On-street Parking
With the right-of-way space constraints and the established priorities for pedestrians and transit it is not possible to accommodate on-street parking along this stretch of Princess.
What is being considered:
- The proposed removal of on-street parking was identified in phase one of the transportation study due to the constrained right-of-way and the need to implement widened pedestrian areas and transit-orientated improvements.
- Maintain parking along side streets. Additional parking regulations may be implemented such as considerations for loading zones and short-term parking.
- Certain parking spaces on Princess Street may be retained on specific blocks, specifically the block between University Avenue and Division Street, where there is accessible on-street parking for the Heart Clinic, and no other alternatives nearby.
Follow Project
Who's Listening
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Director, Transportation Services
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Project Manager
Key Dates
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February 13 2023
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October 26 2023
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November 17 2023
Project Timeline
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Fall 2020
Williamsville Transportation Study has finished this stageTransporation Study Phase One is presented to the Planning Committee and Council.
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Spring 2022
Williamsville Transportation Study has finished this stageTransportation Study Phase Two is initiated.
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Winter 2023
Williamsville Transportation Study has finished this stagePublic engagement is open for input on the study.
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Fall 2023
Williamsville Transportation Study is currently at this stageReview of data and engagement results.
Additional engagement on green street concepts.
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Spring 2024
this is an upcoming stage for Williamsville Transportation StudyFinalize and publish Williamsville Transportation Study Phase Two.
FAQs
- What was learned from the first phase Williamsville Main Street Transportation Study?
- How will this study be used/what are the next steps?
- What are the City’s mode share targets?
- What is a Transit Queue Jump?
- What is a cross-section?
- What is a Cycle Spine and what is a Cycling Spine Network?
- Why is Princess Street not being widened to keep on street parking, bike lanes and also widen sidewalks?
- What is an Arterial Road and Why is Princess Street still an Arterial Road?
- When do the elements of this study get built?
- Why are the side streets not being considered as part of this study?
- When will the side streets get reconstructed?
- Why are Traffic Calming and Community Safety Zones NOT being considered as part of this Study?
Related Documents and Links
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