Hampton seeking to replace 'hazard' intersection with roundabout next year
The intersection of Route 845 and Norton Shore Road is seen in this Google Maps screenshot. Following concerns about the safety of the intersection being raised by residents, the Town of Hampton has submitted a plan to replace it with a roundabout next year to the province for approval.
HAMPTON – After safety concerns were raised by multiple residents, the Town of Hampton is aiming to replace the intersection of Norton Shore Road and Route 845, also known as Pickwauket Road, with a roundabout next year.
Mayor Bob Doucet said the project has been submitted to the province for approval as part of their updated five-year designated highway plan.
"The roundabout will fit exactly in the paved area that is there now, so it is going to be a lot easier to do than putting stop signs and making it a "T" type intersection," said Doucet. "We are looking forward to getting that to a safer intersection for everybody ... it will be a nice roundabout, and I am sure it will work great there."
In June, Doucet said council has heard concerns from residents about the intersection for a number of years, and the town has spoken with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure in the past, as Route 845 is a provincially-designated highway typically under the jurisdiction of the province, and have been told there was no need for changes to be made due to the lack of collisions.
But last fall, provincial government policies changed and the intersection now falls under the town's jurisdiction, though the province will still have to approve any changes, and Doucet said last month town engineers would explore what changes are possible at the intersection.
Doucet said engineers completed that assessment, and concluded constructing a roundabout at the intersection would be feasible, and the most effective option.
'It is a real hazard'
Norton Shore Road resident Ariel Laird celebrated the town's actions to address the intersection, which she said has lead to multiple close calls over the years while turning onto her street.
"I think it's great. It is a real hazard what is there now," said Laird. "Anything is better than what is there for sure."
Laird said the main issue with the intersection is a lack of clarity for motorists on where the right-of-way lies at the intersection, making it hard to predict what other motorists will do, as well as a lack of visibility for motorists looking to turn left off of Route 845 and onto Norton Shore Road.
"You can't see someone coming from the Belleisle area until you have already committed yourself," she said. "It certainly makes you wary. I'm not scared to death or anything, but I am always very careful, and if anyone comes to visit I always have to warn them to be very careful at that intersection."
In addition to the roundabout installation, the refreshed plan also calls for Route 845 to be upgraded from the town limits to Route 121 in 2023, for the Ravine Brook crossing to be upgraded in 2024, for 1,500 metres of Route 121 from Kennebecasis River Bridge toward town limits to be upgraded in 2025, and for the remaining 14 kilometres of Route 121 to the town limits to be upgraded in 2026.