Jingle Pot and Westwood Intersection Upgrade

Road Sign

The City of Nanaimo recently upgraded the Jingle Pot and Westwood intersection. The intersection is a junction of major roads and has seen a steady increase in traffic. The design aimed to manage and improve pedestrian, cycling, and vehicle movements. Some key features include:

  • Controlled left turns.
  • On-road cycle facilities include cycle lanes on all approaches.
  • Pedestrian crossing facilities on all intersection legs.
  • Additional sidewalk on Jingle Pot Road.
  • Progress

    Milestone

    Approximate Date

    Preliminary Design Spring/Summer 2018
    Detailed Design Fall 2018
    Tender February 2019
    Construction May - August 2019

     

    Project Updates

    August 2019 - Thank you everyone for your patience! Construction is complete!  

  • Documents
  • Details

    Project Scope

     

    Jingle Pot Road & Westwood Road Project FAQs

    Q1: Why was the intersection selected for a traffic signal?

    A1: The intersection of Jingle Pot Road and Westwood Road is a junction of major roads. This intersection has seen a steady increase in traffic and a signal would be an appropriate way to manage pedestrian, cyclists, and vehicle movements.  

    Q2: Why was a traffic circle not considered?

    A2: Traffic circles are used for traffic calming purposes on residential streets. For more information, the city has a page that outlines the differences between traffic circles vs. roundabouts here.

    Q3: Why was a roundabout not considered?

    A3: A roundabout design was originally explored for the Jingle Pot Rd & Westwood Road intersection, but after further analysis, it was ruled out early in the conceptual planning stages. Roundabouts have a number of benefits; however, depending on the context, they are not always the best fit. The reasons why this particular intersection did not result in a roundabout design was due to:

    - The topography of the area.

    - The skewed geometry of the intersection.

    - The land acquisition and appropriation required.

    - The construction and acquisition costs.

    Q4: Why were pedestrian islands included within the design?

    A4: On major roads we have to take into consideration the turning movements of buses and large service vehicles. These vehicles take wider turns than cars and therefore, require larger curb radii. To avoid building larger-than-needed intersections with long crossing distances for pedestrians, pedestrian refuge islands are introduced to help tighten up the intersection. In the case of Jingle Pot Road and Westwood Road, the skewed nature of the intersection made introducing 2 islands on the acute angles a necessity. To improve safety further, the City opted to include ‘smart channel right-turn lane’ geometry within the intersection design. Together, with ICBC, a road safety audit was completed to evaluate and analyze the final design. The City took the recommendations from this review to further improve the intersection.

    Q5: Why do the sidewalks and bike lanes end?  

    A5: Project limits are a reality of scope and budget. Through the design process, City staff aims to achieve as many project objectives as possible within the funding available.  Eventual improvements to the approach roads will be considered as funding, need, and prioritization allows.

  • Background
    Local Nanaimo historians believe the sound of rocks "jingling" in a pot during the coal mining interchange process lead to the name of the road. The sound made by the jingle pot was a signal of sort to start the winch and bring coal out of the mines.
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