St. John’s city council has voted to keep two sections of Duckworth Street closed, against the wishes of its own transportation division and a majority of area businesses.

The sections from Prescott to Cathedral streets, and from Bates Hill to New Gower, are part of a pilot project to gauge success of the idea.

Yesterday, council voted to maintain the status quo until the project ends on September 6.

That’s despite the transportation division’s concerns, relayed by Jason Sinyard, deputy city manager for planning and development.

He says staff say the pedestrian mall sections on Duckworth Street are causing congestion throughout downtown. As a result, the recommendation was to reopen the entire street to traffic but allow the sidewalk parklets to remain, which Sinyard says was the transportation division’s stance from the beginning.

Of the 22 businesses on Duckworth Street that responded to a survey on the issue, 41 per cent wanted the street fully reopened.