General Road and Highway Discussion

[bravado]

Does anyone know if there are plans to build roads/roundabounts here...or is this just mislabeled? I spotted this earlier today when using Google Maps for something:

I don't see any specific mentions of roundabouts, but there is a project that specifically mentions a new road right in that same spot. There are a lot of documents on this that I can't go through right now and check...

https://www.cambridge.ca/en/learn-about/...-park.aspx

Also these 2 development applications:
30T-18102 - Creekside Phase 2 - 105 Allendale Road (formerly 215 Allendale Road) and 245 Riverbank Drive
30T-20102 - iPort Cambridge - 250 Allendale Road and 105 Middle Block Road
https://www.cambridge.ca/en/build-invest...tions.aspx

[the_conestoga_guy]

Does anyone know if there are plans to build roads/roundabounts here...or is this just mislabeled? I spotted this earlier today when using Google Maps for something:

Oh hey, this is actually a project that I’ve worked on. Yes, that’s a new road that’s being constructed. I worked on designing some of the utilities along this stretch before it was issued for Tender, so I don’t know for sure what the exact timeline is for construction.

[cherrypark]

There are a number of new multi-unit industrial buildings going up in that area. You can see them all listed on realtor.ca in the commercial listings.

[danbrotherston]

There are a number of new multi-unit industrial buildings going up in that area. You can see them all listed on realtor.ca in the commercial listings.

Paving over prime farmland. It's an Ontario tradition.

[cherrypark]

There are a number of new multi-unit industrial buildings going up in that area. You can see them all listed on realtor.ca in the commercial listings.

Paving over prime farmland. It's an Ontario tradition.

It's not ideal, but speaking as someone currently navigating our nationally lowest vacancy rate for industrial space in the Waterloo Region, this is needed just the same as new housing to enable employment to continue coming to the region. I would much rather see industrial development on lands near the city than having all of our residents need to commute to Milton or Etobicoke for the same.

Now Phase 2 ION missing this employment centre of the region is another discussion I suppose.

[ac3r]

Oh hey, this is actually a project that I’ve worked on. Yes, that’s a new road that’s being constructed. I worked on designing some of the utilities along this stretch before it was issued for Tender, so I don’t know for sure what the exact timeline is for construction.

Thanks for the info! Odd to see it mapped on Google Maps already if it's not yet complete...or maybe it is - I never go out here because there's nothing there.

[KevinL]

Yes, this has been planned for some time. The western side of the southern roundabout will see a road go across the tracks and connect with King, too.

[bravado]

Paving over prime farmland. It's an Ontario tradition.

It's not ideal, but speaking as someone currently navigating our nationally lowest vacancy rate for industrial space in the Waterloo Region, this is needed just the same as new housing to enable employment to continue coming to the region. I would much rather see industrial development on lands near the city than having all of our residents need to commute to Milton or Etobicoke for the same.

Now Phase 2 ION missing this employment centre of the region is another discussion I suppose.

Phase 2 Ion will have a stop at Sportsworld, right? I know it's not good enough (as usual), but it's something for this weird enclave area...

[ac3r]

Yeah, it's going to be right in front of the Mandarin building (which is being turned into a series of condo or apartment towers, since the LRT is already encouraging dense development around the future station).

[cherrypark]

It's not ideal, but speaking as someone currently navigating our nationally lowest vacancy rate for industrial space in the Waterloo Region, this is needed just the same as new housing to enable employment to continue coming to the region. I would much rather see industrial development on lands near the city than having all of our residents need to commute to Milton or Etobicoke for the same.

Now Phase 2 ION missing this employment centre of the region is another discussion I suppose.

Phase 2 Ion will have a stop at Sportsworld, right? I know it's not good enough (as usual), but it's something for this weird enclave area...

Yes I was commenting more on memory of the prior alignments early on that could have included passing through that area as well on its way to Cambridge. That said, another loop bus like they have done for other employment areas from Block Line, etc. would at least still keep this area served by transit links.

[the_conestoga_guy]

It's not ideal, but speaking as someone currently navigating our nationally lowest vacancy rate for industrial space in the Waterloo Region, this is needed just the same as new housing to enable employment to continue coming to the region. I would much rather see industrial development on lands near the city than having all of our residents need to commute to Milton or Etobicoke for the same.

Now Phase 2 ION missing this employment centre of the region is another discussion I suppose.

Phase 2 Ion will have a stop at Sportsworld, right? I know it's not good enough (as usual), but it's something for this weird enclave area...

I don't mind the ION's proposed route through Sportsworld if it were also to include a small bus terminal. I'd love to see the Region move the existing terminal near the highway closer to the ION stops to allow for more seamless transfers. Throw in some high frequency bus trips through the Toyota/industrial/Hespeler area and suddenly things are looking pretty good.

[ac3r]

Phase 2 Ion will have a stop at Sportsworld, right? I know it's not good enough (as usual), but it's something for this weird enclave area...

I don't mind the ION's proposed route through Sportsworld if it were also to include a small bus terminal. I'd love to see the Region move the existing terminal near the highway closer to the ION stops to allow for more seamless transfers. Throw in some high frequency bus trips through the Toyota/industrial/Hespeler area and suddenly things are looking pretty good.

One day that would be worth suggesting to our planners and council. It would be a good idea so long as it was built close enough to the LRT station since if it's too far, it makes transfers to/from the bus harder for people - especially the elderly or disabled.

[nms]

Paving over prime farmland. It's an Ontario tradition.

It's not ideal, but speaking as someone currently navigating our nationally lowest vacancy rate for industrial space in the Waterloo Region, this is needed just the same as new housing to enable employment to continue coming to the region. I would much rather see industrial development on lands near the city than having all of our residents need to commute to Milton or Etobicoke for the same.

Now Phase 2 ION missing this employment centre of the region is another discussion I suppose.

Now if only we hadn't rushed to convert all of our prime industrial land into condominium towers, and come up with ways to keep industrial lands close to the other existing infrastructure (eg rails, and other services), maybe the vacancy rate wouldn't be such a problem? How do other countries manage to keep various uses (residential, service, retail and industrial) all close to each other? Maybe it's also time to have a conversation about how to make existing industrial zones more dense? Surely there are ways to create multi-story factories that weren't in the middle of a big green space? Didn't we do that once around here? (he asks tongue firmly in cheek)

[tomh009]

Now if only we hadn't rushed to convert all of our prime industrial land into condominium towers, and come up with ways to keep industrial lands close to the other existing infrastructure (eg rails, and other services), maybe the vacancy rate wouldn't be such a problem?  How do other countries manage to keep various uses (residential, service, retail and industrial) all close to each other?  Maybe it's also time to have a conversation about how to make existing industrial zones more dense? Surely there are ways to create multi-story factories that weren't in the middle of a big green space? Didn't we do that once around here? (he asks tongue firmly in cheek)

Few modern cities (at least those not in countries with centrally-planned economies) have any significant industrial or warehouseuses near their centres. Those have gradually moved out, further from the centre, as land prices in the centres have increased, and transportation of goods to/from the centres has grown more challenging. (Personal) services and smaller retail have often stayed in the centres, but even there the land/real estate prices are a factor, and larger retail locations, whether malls, supermarkets or big box stores, are generally found on the outskirts.

[danbrotherston]

It's not ideal, but speaking as someone currently navigating our nationally lowest vacancy rate for industrial space in the Waterloo Region, this is needed just the same as new housing to enable employment to continue coming to the region. I would much rather see industrial development on lands near the city than having all of our residents need to commute to Milton or Etobicoke for the same.

Now Phase 2 ION missing this employment centre of the region is another discussion I suppose.

Now if only we hadn't rushed to convert all of our prime industrial land into condominium towers, and come up with ways to keep industrial lands close to the other existing infrastructure (eg rails, and other services), maybe the vacancy rate wouldn't be such a problem?  How do other countries manage to keep various uses (residential, service, retail and industrial) all close to each other?  Maybe it's also time to have a conversation about how to make existing industrial zones more dense? Surely there are ways to create multi-story factories that weren't in the middle of a big green space? Didn't we do that once around here? (he asks tongue firmly in cheek)

I'm not sure what "prime industrial land" we converted into condo towers.

Or to put it another way, I don't see any land downtown as "prime industrial land"...it might have been back 100 years ago in a different time and place, but that land doesn't make sense to be industrial anymore.

I am not sure of the solutions to these problems. What I will say is where I have moved in the Netherlands is quite suburban. I am right next to a dozen big box stores and commercial/office buildings including the king of them all, Ikea. These stores (and buildings) are very north american in style, relatively large (not like, Costco or Walmart large, but still larger than any other store I've seen here), they are surrounded by relatively wide roads, with large stormwater drainage ponds. In many ways it feels very north american. And yet even still, none of them have much in the way of surface parking, every single one is stacked on top of a parking garage, possibly even a multi-level garage. And every one is accessible by bike and transit, and you feel, if not the focus, at least equally welcome as if you arrive by car.

Now I do find the whole arrangement a bit strange--every single store has elevators and/or escalators. The grocery store and Ikea both have weird escalators which permit shopping carts. This is true even for single floor stores. I'm sure it drives up cost. And frankly, I think most people do still drive there. But it does give one ideas for what kind of solutions we could look at.