Saint John council may tackle Simms Corner puzzle

If a west-side city councillor gets his way, Saint John could soon be tackling the notoriously troublesome Simms Corner intersection again.

Coun. Greg Norton said he'll ask his fellow councillors on Monday to set aside time at a future meeting for a presentation on the merits of converting the intersection into a roundabout.

"I see it as a real solution for preventing the pausing of traffic in that area," said the Ward 1 councillor.

Many seasoned Saint John motorists say they've found their own ways to get through the seemingly diabolical Simms Corner intersection, but it can be confusing — even frightening — for newcomers.

There's also a tremendous amount of traffic and occasionally a freight train creeping through.

"I've seen traffic on Main Street here backed up for an hour and a half," said Blaine Harris, with the Saint John West Business Association.

'A traffic circle seems to be the compromise that everybody's a go for.' —Blaine Harris, Saint John West Business Association

From his Main Street barber shop he has a front row seat to the traffic. He said it's time the city makes a change.

"People don't want traffic lights. They want a solution. A traffic circle seems to be the compromise that everybody's a go for."

Norton's fellow west side councillor agrees.

Bill Farren said a roundabout would work better than the traffic signals proposed by city engineers.

"In my opinion for the amount of traffic that goes through there, I don't think signals would work very well.  Traffic would be backed up constantly in one direction or the other," Farren said.

He said a traffic circle would allow vehicles to move continuously through Simms Corner.

Norton said a roundabout could be tested at the intersection by using portable concrete barriers to create the circle.