Tag Archives: Beckwith Street Smiths Falls

Beckwith Street Revitalization Phase 2 gets underway

Beckwith Street
Photo credit: www.facebook.com/townofsmithsfalls

Paul McMunn, director of Public Works and Utilities, brought an update to the Committee of the Whole meeting in Smiths Falls on Monday evening. The street renewal project known as Beckwith Street Phase 2 is pending construction. 

This week will see mobilizing and staging taking place, and twenty boulevard trees were removed the week before last. 

Beckwith St will be closed from Russell St to Elmsley St beginning on April 4. Truck traffic will be rerouted through Smiths Falls via Jasper and Old Slys Rd. 

There will be an information night on March 31 for members of the Downtown Business Association. Several businesses will be affected by the construction.

Councilor Wendy Alford asked if sidewalks would remain open. “They will be, until they can’t be,” explained McMunn, noting that sidewalks will be maintained until they are removed.

Construction is also getting underway at the town hall, which will necessitate council meetings and committee meetings being held virtually for the next three months until renovations are completed. 

Council meetings have been held virtually throughout the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Article by Janelle Labelle

Council votes in favour of signalized right turn

Photo from google maps.

The revitalization of Beckwith Street Phase 2 was once again up for discussion during Monday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting in Smiths Falls. After a night of much discussion with James Fookes, Department Manager of Municipal Infrastructure with Morrison Hershfield, council decided to eliminate the free-flowing right turn lane from North Elmsley onto Beckwith Street. The right hand lane will still be dedicated solely to right-turning traffic, however it will no longer be a free-flow lane. Vehicles will be obliged to stop if there is a red light and only proceed when the way is clear.

Traffic projections show little to no delay to be caused by a “signalized right-turn lane,” Fookes explained. In developing their projections, Morrison Hershfield used traffic analysis from 2012 and 2017. Suitable up-to-date numbers are unable to be obtained as traffic is currently skewed and reduced due to the Covid-19 pandemic keeping many people at home. Councillor Brennan was unsatisfied with this, pointing out that Smiths Falls has changed enormously since 2012 and 2017. “I would suggest that those numbers are not the best,” he said. Councillor McGuire pointed out that Canopy Growth added over one thousand jobs in Smiths Falls since then, and hundreds of homes have been built.

Councillor McKenna highlighted the importance of safe crossings for all of Smiths Falls’ citizens, from people with mobility issues to parents with baby strollers. “Close calls – we don’t document them,” he shrugged, “but I’m sure there are plenty there.” Councillor Allen encouraged Council to look at the larger picture. “We want Beckwith Street to be a people place – a place where people eat, listen to music, gather and enjoy themselves,” she explained. 

Most of the council was satisfied that a signalized right turn lane was the safest choice for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. When the vote was called, all councillors except Councillor Brennan were in favour of eliminating the free-flowing right turn.

Article by Janelle Labelle

Council defers decisions about Phase 2 of Beckwith St Revitalization

Beckwith Street
Photo credit: www.facebook.com/townofsmithsfalls

During Monday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting in Smiths Falls, town council received a report on Phase 2 of the Beckwith Street Revitalization from James Fookes of Morrison Hershfield and Scott Mason of CSW Landscape Architects.  This report required decisions from council on four issues: whether or not the free-flow right turn lane from Elmsley onto Beckwith should be eliminated; whether the proposed pedestrian crossing should be on the north or south of the Beckwith Street and Church Street intersection; what the town’s gateway feature should look like; and where this feature should be placed.

This proved to be a challenging task for council, as only six citizens had voiced their opinion about these features of Phase 2 on the town’s survey platform, Speak Up Smiths Falls. Council was unanimous in support of keeping the pedestrian crossing on the south side of the Beckwith/Church intersection, as the traffic study shows that the entrance to Burger King and Tim Hortons does not allow sufficient space for vehicles to stop behind a northside crosswalk.

Discussion about eliminating the free-flow right turn lane was lively.  The traffic study suggests that allowing a right turn on a red light, from a designated right-turn lane, would provide optimal safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians and would add no noticeable wait time for motorists.

Councillor Dwyer noted that as a driver, she would prefer the free-flow right turn to remain. Also, she pointed out that “we should ask for the Traffic Advisory Committee’s input,” as council has asked them for input in circumstances that are less impactful than this.

Mayor Pankow shared an alternate view, that drivers can adapt “for the benefit of pedestrian safety; the elimination of the free-flowing lane makes sense.”

Councillor McGuire suggested the decision on this matter be deferred, and Councillor Brennan agreed. “I support that suggestion. This is a big decision; we need to take some time.”

Decisions were also deferred on the placement and appearance of the gateway feature. 

Council expressed discouragement with the lack of citizen engagement via the Speak Up Smiths Falls platform.

Article by Janelle Labelle

Town seeks community input in Beckwith St Phase 2

Beckwith Street
Photo credit: www.facebook.com/townofsmithsfalls

Director of Public Works Troy Dunlop brought some updates to Council regarding the Beckwith Street redevelopment project. Phase 1 was completed last fall; a list of deficiencies is being compiled now in order to wrap up overdue tasks.  One final traffic signal pole is slated to be replaced this spring. Mayor Pankow asked Dunlop to elaborate on why this pole hasn’t yet been replaced. Dunlop explained that the pole was bolted “right into the deck of the stone arch bridge; it’s actually on the cantilevered section of the deck. It’s tricky to replace.”  This required the purchase of a custom pole due to its unique base.

Spring landscaping is currently underway along Beckwith Street within Phase 1, from Russell Street to Chambers Street.  Dunlop noted that one tree didn’t survive the winter, while some of the newly-planted trees are “late budders,” likely to bud within a very short time. These young trees will require close attention and care until they are established. 

Phase 2 of the Beckwith Street redevelopment project will get underway this year. The town is seeking public input on Phase 2 via their communication platform Speak Up, Smiths Falls. “We invite the public to look at various features and chime in on the gateway, streetscape, street crossings etc.,” explained Dunlop. He shared that they have seen an increase in comments on Speak Up, Smiths Falls, “which is good.” 

The survey remains active until May 19 at speakupsmithsfalls.com.

Article by Janelle Labelle

Smiths Falls receives $1.8 million Connecting Links grant

Beckwith Street
Photo credit: www.facebook.com/townofsmithsfalls

Director of Public Works Troy Dunlop was “very pleased to report that we received $1.8 million towards construction of key elements in Beckwith Street Phase Two” via the 2021-2022 Connecting Links grant program. 

During Monday night’s virtual Committee of the Whole meeting in Smiths Falls, Dunlop explained that Minister of Transportation Carolyn Mulroney contacted the town to share the good news. He outlined that the funds designated for Phase Two will include new “storm sewers, roadway curbs, accessibility upgrades, and the traffic signals at Elmsley Street.”

Councillor Peter McKenna noted that Smiths Falls can count itself lucky as only 14 communities received this grant: “we’re very fortunate and thank the provincial government for that investment in our community.”

This is great news for Smiths Falls; the grant will allow for the necessary repairs to our crumbling infrastructure beneath the street. Phase Two will also see an updated design on the surface of Beckwith Street from North Elmsley to Russell Street, to match the redesign that was completed on the south end of Beckwith Street in 2020.

Next steps should happen “very soon,” said Dunlop.

Article by Janelle Labelle