Big changes are being made to a busy four-lane street on Saint John’s east side.

The two southbound lanes of Heather Way are being permanently closed.

City staff have turned the northbound lanes of the street into two-way traffic.

Council approved a staff recommendation in January to make the adjustment.

Safety has been a concern in the area after a pedestrian was fatally struck by a speeding vehicle in 2008.

In 2021, staff sought feedback from residents on potential options for imagining the street and brought up several ideas for discussion.

One involved reducing the street to one lane in each direction while maintaining the shared left-turn lane and adding buffered bike lanes on each side.

Another was to close one side of Heather Way to vehicle traffic, similar to a 2009 proposal, and use it solely for active transportation.

No decisions have been made about what will happen with the abandoned lanes.