SOUTHLANDS-TO-GALWAY ROAD LINK STILL ON HOLD, CITY SAYS

(July 29th)

The City of St. John’s says completion of the Southlands Boulevard extension remains an important transportation requirement for future development in Galway, but the roadway connection is ultimately the responsibility of the Galway and Southlands developers.

In a statement, the City said residents have expressed interest in the completion of the Southlands Boulevard connection, which would link the Southlands and Galway developments. The connection is a requirement within the traffic plans for both developments, and the developers are responsible for working together to complete the road.

The City said the need for the connection was identified through engineering and traffic planning requirements associated with development in both Galway and Southlands. While Southlands has not yet reached the traffic threshold requiring the connection, the City said there is a present need for the roadway to support future growth in Galway due primarily to traffic generated by the commercial area and limited access to Galway’s residential area.

The City said it does not currently have a construction schedule for the road, but it continues to advocate for its completion.

Officials said Southlands Boulevard currently has sufficient capacity to support existing residential development and provide access to several exit points. The community is also supported by an extensive internal road network with multiple connections to Southlands Boulevard, allowing traffic to move throughout the area rather than relying on a single access point.

Residents can access several routes out of the community, including Pitts Memorial Drive, Richard Nolan Drive to Mount Pearl, and Ruby Line to Goulds and Robert E. Howlett Memorial Drive. The City also noted that an emergency access connection off Brad Gushue Crescent links to Ruby Line and can be used if required.

The City acknowledged that last summer’s wildfires raised questions about evacuation routes. During that event, barriers at Southlands Boulevard were removed to provide additional options if needed. However, the City said the Southlands Boulevard extension would not have been used to evacuate Southlands residents because it would have directed traffic toward the active fire area. Instead, it would have served as a potential exit point for the Galway residential area.

The City said current development in Southlands is supported by the road capacity already planned and approved for the area. Future development will further improve connectivity through extensions of the internal road network, including extending Sumac Street to Gold Medal Drive.

While the existing network is sufficient for current residential development, the City said continued growth will eventually require completion of the Southlands Boulevard connection to support future development and maintain an efficient transportation network.

The City also said that while industrial development in Galway can continue, additional commercial and residential development is limited until transportation requirements, including the Southlands Boulevard connection, are addressed. Because commercial development generates significantly more vehicle traffic than residential development, increased road capacity is considered essential for Galway’s future growth.

The City said it will continue working with the parties involved and monitoring the situation, but emphasized that completion of the roadway remains the responsibility of the developers.

📸Southlands-Galway Unfinished Road Link