Kingston city council to consider Hwy. 15 intersection options.

Cost increases cast doubt on the planned roundabout at the entrance to a new subdivision on Highway 15 in Kingston.

Kingston City Council will consider options for rebuilding an intersection at the entrance to a new subdivision on the east side of Kingston. Photo by Elliot Ferguson/The Whig-Standard.
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Kingston City Council will consider options for a new intersection on the main road in the city’s east end.

The city had planned to build a roundabout at the intersection of Highway 15 and Summer Valley Terrace, which would serve as the entrance to a subdivision being built in a former quarry.

The subdivision’s developer committed $375,000 to the roundabout, and the city budgeted $3.8 million for it, but a projected cost increase of more than $1.4 million raised concerns about the project.

A roundabout would necessitate significant vertical and horizontal realignment of Highway 15, relocation of infrastructure, and modifications to the Greenwood Park stormwater management pond and recreational trail. A roundabout would also require a municipal environmental impact statement.

“These factors are contributing to the request for budget increase and also bring risk to the outcome of the project,” Paige Agnew, commissioner of growth and development services, stated in a report to council last month. “As studies (stormwater management report and geotechnical study) are incomplete there are unknowns that could lead to delays in the project or additional costs beyond the current budget request even with standard buffers.”

The roundabout will cost more than $5.2 million, funded by the development charges reserve fund and municipal capital reserve fund combined.

In response to the projected cost increase, the developer offered to build the roundabout for $3.4 million. The city would still need to increase the project’s budget by $350,000 to cover the additional expenses.

An alternative to the roundabout is a signalised intersection for all ages and abilities, as seen in recent intersection rebuilds throughout the city. This option would cost approximately $1 million.

“The construction of a signalised intersection provides cost savings in this location compared to a roundabout as it can be constructed in the existing alignment of Hwy. 15 with expansion of the existing footprint occurring only to provide dedicated turning lanes,” according to the report.

“The cost savings from constructing a signalised intersection, estimated at $2.8 million, would be earmarked to be used in later budgets to support intersection upgrades in the east end including future roundabouts.”

The city council will discuss its options for the intersection at its meeting on Tuesday night.

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