By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tyler Waugh
Mount Pearl residents traveling to the Goulds and the Southern Shore – and vice versa - will have a more direct route available after the reopening of a section of Commonwealth Avenue that was closed as part of the Team Gushue Highway construction project.
The section was closed to complete a roundabout to connect the end of the Team Gushue Highway to Pitts Memorial Drive and Robert E. Howlett Memorial Drive.
The City of Mount Pearl advised motorists that traffic patterns have changed on Brookfield Road as a result of the roundabout corridor and that it too will be making some operational adjustments.
The City plans to adjust the traffic signals at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue, Old Placentia Road, and Brookfield Road over the coming weeks and is warning motorists about possible traffic delays as a result of the operations.
The reason for the roundabout is to provide residents of the Southern Shore with an alternate and more efficient route to get to key services, including hospitals and post-secondary facilities. A roundabout was among three options explored by Harbourside Transportation Consultants in 2022 and was found to be more efficient than a cloverleaf or interchange.
The provincial Province and Ottawa paid for the $30 million project, which was completed by Bursey Excavating and Development.
The project also includes drainage culverts, an overpass and auxiliary access roads, as well as re-aligning a section of Brookfield Road.
While the roundabout corridor has reopened, work continues on the Team Gushue Highway extension with completion expected by the end of this year.