Road design, transportation and walkability

[westwardloo]

I'd argue that something like this ought to be very carefully scrutinized and studied, but has the MTO really done that? I personally don't think so.

This thing has been planned for 30+ years I think they have done enough the studies. It has received multiply environmental assessment and traffic studies over the decades. It this not enough? should it be stalled another decade to be debated and studied again?

I mean, this is kind of an existential issue...but sure, we can disagree on it.

I might be less vehemently opposed if the proposal included ANY other transportation options, transit, cycling, etc.  Or if it was for a more fiscally restrained project (widening and improving the existing highway, again combined with cycling/transit), but instead it's a business as usual roads project, I see extremely poor value for this project, and I know none of the alternatives have at all been evaluated.

On the other hand we have transit projects which are put under a microscope and must prove themselves economically viable before any investments are even considered...and not only that, but are compared with multiple different options to choose the best one.

We never do that for roads, we just widen and build and never even consider the harm.

As for sprawl, I don't disagree, but I do think you are wrong to blame entirely developers, the city does wield a lot of influence, definitely with parking minimums, but with many other aspects, like neighbourhood design, road design, etc., and they direct developers towards these broken patterns. There have been tiny improvements in this area--kitchener just passed the complete streets guide which should save us from any more 6 lane wide residential streets--but it's very slow progress...we are still planning (not even yet building, but planning) entirely unsustainable sprawling neighbourhoods...

The thing is they have proposed other transportation options. They are currently building a multi-use trail along Victoria. They are "Planning/Building" 2 way all day go between the cities downtown.

This project literally was put under a microscope and put on hold after construction was already started. It has been under a microscope for decades.

I Will agree that Cycling infrastructure seems like always is just a pilot project. When it cost like 800,000 to implement. I hope it is just a strategy to get the car lovers used to the reduced lane or no parking and just make it permanent quietly.

The region is currently reviewing it road designs and is calling for less/ smaller wide lanes on ERB, Bridgeport, University and hopefully more. King St in waterloo has been reduced from 4 to 2 lanes with separated bike lanes. Erb street reduced 1 lane into separated bike lanes. Columbia reduced a lane for a separated bike lane. on street parking was taken off Belmont for a separated bike lane. The region is going through another COVID experiment to create more bike lanes. One is Fredrick reduced from 4 to 2 for "separated bike lanes". The Cities and the Region is working on alternative forms of transportation.

Lets just chalk this one up to you are against it I am for it. We both have our reasons.

The city designs the artillery roads. Developers decide that they don't want to pave a full road and they can sell a house for more if its not a through road. I am not going to get into suburban design discussion on this forum though. I will happy to do so over on Urban issues/ design.