Parking Concerns on Allbay Road

The Town currently does not have any streets with parking restricted to residents only. The proposed parking pilot being considered by the Town is intended to help residents find parking near their homes when off-street parking is insufficient and street parking is in high demand. This has not been an issue on Allbay Road.

Harbour Road is too narrow to provide parking on both sides of the street. This would limit emergency vehicle access, as well as some of the larger vehicles associated with the marine industrial area. Parking on both sides of the street would also impede two-way traffic.

It is safest for parking to be on the north side of the road alongside the sidewalk. There is no sidewalk on the south side of the road or public space to accommodate a sidewalk.

Gravel is a permeable surface treatment, so it would result in less runoff into the receiving environment than a hardscaped solution such as concrete or asphalt. Any form of construction has the potential to generate sediment. If a gravel shoulder was added to Harbour Road, catch basin socks could be installed during construction in nearby catch basins to minimize the potential impact.

A resident would be required to obtain a right-of-way permit from the Town to undertake work on municipal property. After obtaining this permit, the resident would be responsible for covering the cost of this work and hiring a third-party contractor, if needed.

Creating a barrier of this kind would require additional study and engagement to understand implications for emergency vehicles and road users. While reducing vehicle traffic on a street without sidewalks may reduce the risk of conflict with pedestrians, a step of this nature would only be taken if there was a high need identified. During the development of the Town’s Active Transportation Plan with extensive public engagement, Allbay Road was not identified as a priority street for pedestrian safety improvements. It should also be noted that diverting traffic would still allow drivers to park along Allbay and walk to their destination.