General Road and Highway Discussion

[KevinL]

Ottawa is closed just east of Fischer-Hallman; looks like this will last about 2 weeks.

[Acitta]

Ottawa is closed just east of Fischer-Hallman; looks like this will last about 2 weeks.

Good! I hope they are continuing the MUT along that section. The road surface is terrible along there.

[bravado]

https://www.engagewr.ca/ainslie-street-improvements

The Region has a Zoom meeting on Thursday to start the process to rebuild Ainslie St in Cambridge... I think we need all sane voices possible to be there to help turn it into a place that's actually built for humans. Especially since it is the terminus of Ion Phase 2.

[neonjoe]

Ottawa is closed just east of Fischer-Hallman; looks like this will last about 2 weeks.

Good! I hope they are continuing the MUT along that section. The road surface is terrible along there.

They are currently replacing the utilities under Ottawa St. This is a prerequisite to the second please of the rebuild from Strasburg to Fischer-Hallman. Expect the same treatment as between Strasburg and Howland.

[KevinL]

That still includes a roundabout at Westmount, yes?

[danbrotherston]

That still includes a roundabout at Westmount, yes?

Ahh...that was one of the last straws for me at the regional ATAC....

It was just so striking to me...

The staff/contractor engineer came in and talked about how council had directly instructed them to prioritise pedestrian and transit users OVER drivers. They remarked this was a weird thing they've never been asked before.

They proceeded to explain how they were going to build a roundabout even though it was worse for transit riders and pedestrians because it was needed to meet their traffic modelling requirements.

Not a hint of irony, or suggestion that they even realised what they were doing was a direct contradiction. I pushed them on that, and they just did not get it. "We must meet the traffic modelling requirements"...it was EXACTLY like the "Conversation with an Engineer" by Charles Marohn.

So, I wouldn't be surprised to see a roundabout going in all these years later, but I was not invited back to ATAC...seems they were more interested in having people who would rubber stamp staff proposals...even ones that were directly selfcontradictory.

[ZEBuilder]

That still includes a roundabout at Westmount, yes?

It is still supposed to include the roundabout, digging through the 2024 Regional budget it appears that nearly 5 million is being asked for just the Westmount/Ottawa intersection in 2024 so it appears the roundabout might be constructed this summer. Then for the remaining Alpine to Fischer Hallman section they're asking for just over 3 million for 2024 and 4.5 million in 2025. So the roundabout might happen in 2024 and the rest of the project done in 2025, that is assuming the region approves the budget.

[cherrypark]

More MUTs is nice, but they are forever going to be impaired by the strip mall developments crossing them. Nearly got nailed this morning by a driver rolling the stop line at the plaza just south of this intersection this morning (riding a bright white, 2m long cargo bike). Not to mention the region still needing to go back and make all the intersections cross-rides that they skipped over in past MUT installations.

[Acitta]

More MUTs is nice, but they are forever going to be impaired by the strip mall developments crossing them. Nearly got nailed this morning by a driver rolling the stop line at the plaza just south of this intersection this morning (riding a bright white, 2m long cargo bike). Not to mention the region still needing to go back and make all the intersections cross-rides that they skipped over in past MUT installations.

MUTs aren't perfect, but they are better than painted bike lanes on busy streets. Whatever the infrastructure, one must be alert to the behaviour of other vehicles.

[Bytor]

https://www.engagewr.ca/ainslie-street-improvements

The Region has a Zoom meeting on Thursday to start the process to rebuild Ainslie St in Cambridge... I think we need all sane voices possible to be there to help turn it into a place that's actually built for humans. Especially since it is the terminus of Ion Phase 2.

Was the southern terminus debate actually concluded?

Last regional council meeting about it was when Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett made the absolutely redonkulous request that a Dundas St terminus be considered. That's a dud, clearly, But Bruce St. is still in contention, IIRC.

[bravado]

https://www.engagewr.ca/ainslie-street-improvements

The Region has a Zoom meeting on Thursday to start the process to rebuild Ainslie St in Cambridge... I think we need all sane voices possible to be there to help turn it into a place that's actually built for humans. Especially since it is the terminus of Ion Phase 2.

Was the southern terminus debate actually concluded?

Last regional council meeting about it was when Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett made the absolutely redonkulous request that a Dundas St terminus be considered. That's a dud, clearly, But Bruce St. is still in contention, IIRC.

Despite the Mayor's temporary insanity, Bruce St is still basically an alleyway of Ainslie so my point still stands...

[mgregorasz]

https://www.engagewr.ca/ainslie-street-improvements

The Region has a Zoom meeting on Thursday to start the process to rebuild Ainslie St in Cambridge... I think we need all sane voices possible to be there to help turn it into a place that's actually built for humans. Especially since it is the terminus of Ion Phase 2.

Was the southern terminus debate actually concluded?

Last regional council meeting about it was when Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett made the absolutely redonkulous request that a Dundas St terminus be considered. That's a dud, clearly, But Bruce St. is still in contention, IIRC.

I received a notification from the Region about a report on the evaluation of the south terminus options going to the Planning and Works Committee December 5. Ainslie, Bruce, Concession and Dundas were the options.

[Acitta]

Construction notice: Fountain Street South closed for storm sewer improvements Nov. 13 to Dec. 1
Fountain Street South at Shantz Hill Road will be closed to through traffic.

[ac3r]

There was another hit and run in Waterloo: https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/another-hit...-1.6704489

[bravado]

And another in Cambridge a few days ago. It’s fine, it’s only a regional road in front of a High School that’s unsafe as fuck.

https://www.wrps.on.ca/en/news/waterloo-...ridge.aspx