Flood-prone area in Saint John to receive major upgrade
A high traffic, flood-prone area in Saint John, N.B., is getting $8 million to go towards a major reconfiguration.
The money will see a portion of Retail Drive in the east side of the city raised and the elimination of one of two immediately adjacent signalized intersections.
The project also includes an upgrade to the storm water sewer system and the expansion of the sanitary sewer capacity, which the city says will reduce the risk of flooding and sewer backups.
"Our government is focused on making infrastructure investments that improve the lives of everyone in Saint John-Rothesay, and all New Brunswickers, and help us protect and develop our economy," said Wayne Long, Member of Parliament for Saint John-Rothesay, on behalf of Dominic LeBlanc, the minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, in a news release Monday.
"A safe and functional road like Retail Drive, a major corridor to East Point, ensures that residents and visitors of the City of Saint John can safely benefit from the growing retail centre."
The City of Saint John says additional benefits from the project include:
- upgraded pedestrian signals with sound, a countdown, and accessible ramps for improved pedestrian and motorist safety
- the addition of railway crossing gates and traffic signal pre-emption in the event of an approaching train
“Investments in critical infrastructure help mitigate the impacts of climate change for all Canadians. Upgrades to underground infrastructure and the realignment of Retail Drive will help mitigate the risk of flooding and major weather events due to climate change," said Saint John Mayor Donna Noade Reardon.
"It will also enhance public safety for pedestrians and motorists and the work helps pave the way for future growth in the area. Thanks to funding from our federal and provincial partners, the city can now proceed with this important project."
Of the funding, $2.8 million is coming from the federal government, $2.3 is being provided by the province, and $3.2 is coming from the City of Saint John.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
New one-and-done therapy can help curb severe COVID-19 infection: Canadian-led study
A Canadian-led study of a new potential antiviral therapy shows a single dose can help cut the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

Are video games good for kids' brains or bad for them? New research suggests the answer is 'neither'
A small new study has found that neither the frequency of daily gaming reported by pre-teen children nor the specific video game genres they chose to play were linked with their performance on a standardized cognitive tests.
Canada deploys military assessment team to Turkiye after earthquake
Canada deployed a disaster assessment team to Turkey on Wednesday in the wake of a devastating earthquake that's killed thousands, as the federal government faced criticism that the window to help with rescue efforts was closing.
'It was a nightmare': 2 children dead, driver charged after city bus crashes into Laval daycare
Two four-year-old children are dead and a man has been charged with first-degree murder after a driver crashed a city bus into a daycare in Laval, Que. Wednesday morning. The driver, 51-year-old Pierre Ny St-Amand, was arrested at the scene and faces two counts of first-degree murder and several other charges.
Alphabet shares dive after Google AI chatbot Bard flubs answer in ad
Alphabet Inc. lost US$100 billion in market value on Wednesday after its new chatbot shared inaccurate information in a promotional video and a company event failed to dazzle, feeding worries that the Google parent is losing ground to rival Microsoft.
opinion | Before you do your taxes, take note of these tax credits and deductions you may not have known about
Many Canadians are experiencing strains caused by the increased cost of living and inflation. In his exclusive column for CTVNews.ca, contributor Christopher Liew shares some of the top credits and deductions that you may be able to claim on your income tax return to help you save money.
Indigo payment systems, online store down after 'cybersecurity incident'
Indigo's payment systems and online store are down after a 'cybersecurity incident,' the company announced on Wednesday evening.
Netflix Canada begins password sharing crackdown
Netflix Canada is rolling out its long-anticipated plans to crack down on password sharing, saying it will begin notifying Canadian users today by email about limitations.
Tyre Nichols documents: Officer never explained stop to him
The officer who pulled Tyre Nichols from his car before police fatally beat him never explained why he was being stopped, newly released documents show, and emerging reports from Memphis residents suggest that was common.