Road Safety Improvements for Kytes Hill Drive/Grand Lake Road

A number of road improvements, including better access and a slower speed zone, will mean a safer Kytes Hill Drive/Grand Lake Road area for residents of Sydney.

During a public meeting at the Grand Lake Road Volunteer Fire Department today, July 8, details to improve road safety were announced.

"Residents have called for action to improve safety on the Grand Lake Road and around the Kytes Hill Drive area for years," said Geoff MacLellan, Minister, Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. "I'm pleased to say that we're moving ahead with what I believe is a workable compromise of all the different feedback we've received from residents, the consultants and the steering committee."

Immediate to short-term improvements include:

• reduced speed limit in the area of Kytes Hill Drive and Yolanda Drive
• speed feedback signs east and west of the Kytes Hill Drive/Grand Lake Road intersection
• rumble strips at the intersection, combined with signs, to let drivers know about reduced speed limit zones and turning traffic
• closure of Kytes Hill Drive and minor improvements to Yolanda Drive intersections, such as curve widening
• improved visibility at intersections with the installation of overhead beacons, more visible signs and removal of vegetation that may affect sight lines.

Other future improvements include:

• a new connection road from Kytes Hill Drive (Minwill Crescent extension) to Grand Lake Road
• closure of Yolanda Drive and Junction Road, and traffic rerouted to a new roundabout at Junction Road.

The changes were developed after consultation with residents through two public meetings, input from a steering committee made up of staff and police from Cape Breton Regional Municipality and staff from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, and a consultant's report from Hatch Mott MacDonald.

"Representatives from the police, engineering and planning were grateful for the opportunity to participate in what are essentially improvements to a provincial highway," said Malcolm Gillis, planning and development, Cape Breton Regional Municipality. "The solution will make this notoriously dangerous section of the highway much safer for motorists and pedestrians."

Immediate and short-term changes will begin this construction season. Planning, design and property acquisition for the new roundabout at Junction Road will begin immediately with construction expected to be completed within three to four years.

To view the presentation, please go to http://novascotia.ca/tran/highways/kyteshill.asp