New lights for Court & Front Street

FRIDAY, JUNE 22: A new set of traffic lights will today be switched on at the junction of Hamilton’s Court Street and Front Street. The new lights – as well as a new puffin crossing on Front Street at Cabinet Office – have been installed by the City of Hamilton to ease traffic flow.

City engineer Patrick Cooper said the $100,000-plus scheme was designed after changes at Hamilton Docks meant the main entrance moved from opposite Seon Place to opposite Court Street. Mr Cooper said the installation of a massive X-ray machine for containers at the docks, which are owned by the city, required changes to the layout on the waterfront: “The lights will make it a lot easier for traffic coming out of Court Street on to Front Street – it will have its own light phase so traffic will be stopped to allow vehicles out.”

The new entrance to the docks will not be operational until next month, but the lights will become operational to allow drivers to get used to them before trucks started exiting the docks through the new gateway.

The new puffin crossing means the removal of the last zebra crossing on Front Street — where accidents have happened. Mr Cooper said: “From surveys we have done, we have tried to ensure we weren’t going to increase congestion and we’re confident this won’t make the traffic any worse.”