The suite of quick fixes represents a short-term solution to the roadway’s traffic issues. Plans to convert the notoriously dangerous one-way, five-lane thoroughfare to a two-way street are currently underway. Photo credit: CBC News/Dan Taekema
The complete redesign of Main Street in Hamilton is already partly underway.
The five-lane artery through downtown Hamilton has become one of the more dangerous roads in Hamilton when it comes to both vehicle collisions and pedestrian hits. This is largely seen as a symptom of the road design as the one-way, five-lane road allows drivers to jockey for position and drive more aggressively than on other roads.
Some have taken to calling Main Street a dangerous “expressway” through the downtown.
After a string of pedestrian deaths in the area, Hamilton City Council passed a motion in May 2022 to convert the street to two-way traffic. A similar situation faces King Street, which shares the one-way, five-lane layout; however, King is already slotted for restructuring due to the upcoming LRT line along the stretch from Eastgate to McMaster University.
As the conversion of Main Street to two-way traffic cannot happen right away, part of the May 2022 motion brought forward and passed by council included “quick” changes that could be implemented right away to increase driver and pedestrian safety along the corridor.
Those quick changes started approximately two weeks ago as municipal employees got to work on several different modifications that are supposed to improve safety.
Transit Priority
One of the changes that has been made is the installation of transit priority signalling and bus-only lanes. Traffic signals will allow buses to bypass other vehicles while all other lights remain red.
The transit priority signal lights appear as a white vertical line on a black background. When that light is on, all other lights remain red and only busses are permitted to proceed.
The new “Bus Only” lanes feature pavement markings indicating as such between Macnab Street and Hamilton City Hall. The existence of the new bus lanes means that motorists must now make right turns from the second closest curb lane, thereby crossing in front of the bus lane.
Right Turns
In addition to having to cut across a lane of bus traffic when making a right turn, there are now new signs at traffic lights throughout Main Street that indicate right turns on a red signal are no longer permitted. Restricting right turns on red is seen as a method to specifically increase pedestrian safety at crosswalks.
A visualization of some of the key changes outlined above and below. Photo credit: City of Hamilton
Pedestrians
To increase pedestrian safety further, crosswalks along Main Street have been freshly repainted with a high-visibility ladder crosswalk design. Pedestrians will also have priority lights which will allow them to begin crossing an intersection before vehicles are given the go-ahead. Similar to the transit-priority signals, pedestrian priority allows people to walk while regular vehicle lights remain red.
Street Parking
Yet another measure that has been implemented is the conversion of one lane of traffic to on-street vehicle parking. Vehicle parking along the street reduces the number of driving lanes and is thereby seen as a way of limiting the ability of drivers to jockey for position.
Upcoming Two-Lane Conversion
As mentioned, the changes to Main Street that have taken place so far are only “quick” changes that are implemented temporarily while city staff work out the full details involved in completely redesigning the street to facilitate two-way traffic.
The two-way traffic redesign plans are underway, with staff expected to report to council in early 2023 with the full plan.
Note that the author of this article, Kevin Geenen, is running for Ward 5 City Council Hamilton (Gray Rd to Red Hill Parkway plus the Beach Strip). Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Kevin Geenen reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on social media. He is a regular contributor with The Hamilton Independent and has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. He is known for Hamilton Neighbourhood Watch crime updates and no-nonsense news graphics. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal from Governor General David Johnston. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
