Williamsville Transportation Study

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Consultation has concluded.


Decorative graphic showing three different people walking on a sidewalk, a bus in the road.and a streetlight and tree on the sidewalk boulevard.

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.

A map shows the extent of the Williamsville Main Street Transportation study area, which stretches along Princess Street beginning at Bath Road and Concession Street and continuing along Princess Street until Division Street. Within the study area, a reconstruction area is shown between Alfred Street and Division Street along Princess Street. Two future westbound transit priority lanes are also shown along Princess Street, one between Drayton Avenue and MacDonnell Street and the other between Albert Street and Frontenac Street. A pin shows the location of a proposed signalization of the intersection of Princess Street and Drayton Avenue and a future transit queue jump located there. Another pin shows a proposed introduction of a left turn lane at Nelson Street and Princess Street to compensate for the removal of left turn lanes at Albert Streets. A third pin shows a future transit queue jump at the intersection of Albert Street and Princess Street.


Get Involved

Learn more about the study background, goals, what’s being considered and what this could all mean to you by reading through the different sections in the tabs at the bottom of this page. Afterwards take part in one or more of the engagement options to let us know what you think.

  • Use the map tool to let us know about specific issues, barriers or opportunities you see before March 7.

  • Ask a question through the tab below before March 7 and the project team will provide an answer.

Consultation has concluded.


Decorative graphic showing three different people walking on a sidewalk, a bus in the road.and a streetlight and tree on the sidewalk boulevard.

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.

A map shows the extent of the Williamsville Main Street Transportation study area, which stretches along Princess Street beginning at Bath Road and Concession Street and continuing along Princess Street until Division Street. Within the study area, a reconstruction area is shown between Alfred Street and Division Street along Princess Street. Two future westbound transit priority lanes are also shown along Princess Street, one between Drayton Avenue and MacDonnell Street and the other between Albert Street and Frontenac Street. A pin shows the location of a proposed signalization of the intersection of Princess Street and Drayton Avenue and a future transit queue jump located there. Another pin shows a proposed introduction of a left turn lane at Nelson Street and Princess Street to compensate for the removal of left turn lanes at Albert Streets. A third pin shows a future transit queue jump at the intersection of Albert Street and Princess Street.


Get Involved

Learn more about the study background, goals, what’s being considered and what this could all mean to you by reading through the different sections in the tabs at the bottom of this page. Afterwards take part in one or more of the engagement options to let us know what you think.

  • Use the map tool to let us know about specific issues, barriers or opportunities you see before March 7.

  • Ask a question through the tab below before March 7 and the project team will provide an answer.

  • Background & project goals

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    Project 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).

    Decorative image showing a blue checkmark in a circle.


    Reconfigure the right-of-way to improve the pedestrian experience with wider sidewalks and amenities.


    Decorative image showing a blue bus in a circle.


    Prioritize transit travel times throughout the corridor.


    Decorative image showing a blue car in a circle.

    Minimize impacts on traffic operations associated with the proposed changes.


    Decorative image showing a a blue cyclist in a circle.


    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. 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.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.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 backgroundTypical 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.

    View more renders, plans and cross-sections.

    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.
Page last updated: 08 Mar 2023, 10:39 AM