As part of a community driven effort to update Southampton’s High Street, the Town is engaging in necessary upgrades and refining design improvements to the streetscape. These landscape and engineering designs build on a concept created through public engagement conducted by the Southampton Business Improvement Area.

The High Street Reconstruction project will result in necessary infrastructure upgrades, such as sewer repairs, alongside design features that favour traffic calming, active transportation (such as walking and cycling), and upgrades to streetscape elements. These features envision a balance between safety and convenience for pedestrians, cyclists, cars and deliveries. The proposed features also look to improve public access to businesses, landmarks, and the waterfront.

In 2021, the Southampton Business Improvement Association (SBIA) put forward an initiative to develop a renewal plan for High Street that envisioned a vibrant downtown area that is safe, accessible, enhances greenspaces and addresses aging infrastructure.

This plan was shared with local businesses during the 2021 and 2022 SBIA’s Annual General Meeting as well as with the public through several community input opportunities.

Recognizing the importance of parking in any future development plans, the Town completed a Parking Strategy for Downtown Southampton.

With these two pieces in place, the 2024 Engineering Design was developed following the public consultation period, which began with a Public Information Centre on July 4, 2024.

• Reduced speed limits.
• All way stops at intersections.
• Pavement markings.
• Raised center islands.
• Designated loading zones.
• Optimizing existing parking supply.
• Curb extensions at intersections and mid-block crossings.
• Pedestrian crossover signal at mid-block crossings.
• Passenger drop-off area at Dominion Lookout.
• Traffic bollards.
• Outlined pedestrian pathway.

Click here to view the project’s proposed changes in detail.

Recognizing the importance of parking, the Town completed a Parking Strategy identifying the adequacy of the existing parking supply Downtown Southampton. A part of this strategy included a ten-year parking demand forecast to determine future parking capacity. The estimated forecast for Downtown Southampton showed a peak use of 64% of current parking capacity.

With the knowledge that there is excess parking capacity available for now and the forecasted future, the project detailed a modest reduction of on-street parking on High Street to achieve improvements to infrastructure, safety, accessibility, and beautification. Additionally, this project calls for added signage, designated loading zones and passenger drop-off areas to allow for the better use of on-street parking spaces.

Click here to view the project's Parking Recommendations, including proposed parking space changes.