After months of being closed to traffic, 55th Street in Red Deer is now open with a roundabout.
The 55th Street realignment project west of Gaetz Avenue and close to Elements @ River’s Edge, a new residential-commercial complex, finished on Thursday morning.
As part of reconfiguring the road to 54th Avenue, a roundabout was built.
These modernized traffic circles see drivers travel counterclockwise around a centre island.
Drivers yield at entry to traffic in the roundabout, then enter the intersection and exit at their desired street. Roundabouts are said to be safer than traffic circles because vehicles must travel at lower speeds.
This project includes a multi-use trail connection from the Railyards to the CPR pedestrian bridge. And next spring, a pedestrian light will be installed at this location.
The new connection provides a continuous link from the trails on the north and south side of the river to the downtown and Railyards areas.
Railyards, west of Gaetz Avenue and north of Ross Street, is part of a downtown redevelopment plan.
Formerly a light industrial/commercial area, Railyards will become a high-density residential district, with a blend of commercial, public service and retail spaces to support urban living.