[just east of the creek]

Driving south on Bronte Rd today I noticed this major Halton transportation project is underway with site clearance work begun. Major tree clearance on the east side and nary a murmur of comment….and the tree count was well above 12. I am sure the west side is underway as well. That area is mostly open fields; although it does skirt the Suncor Oil Products loading and storage areas.

Once complete it will be interesting to measure traffic flows as this connection (Wyecroft through Harvestor) acts like a set of collector lanes for the QEW and handles overflow for the perpetually jammed QEW west bound (mainly) from Brontë Road westbound through the 403 junction.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Ironically this is funded from Metrolinx “Quick Wins” money which IIRC was given to Halton region in 2008. Halton not only never spent it, they are now finally using it on a roads project instead of a public transit project under the pretence that a limited number of buses will use this bridge.

 

[just east of the creek]

Ironically this is funded from Metrolinx “Quick Wins” money which IIRC was given to Halton region in 2008. Halton not only never spent it, they are now finally using it on a roads project instead of a public transit project under the pretence that a limited number of buses will use this bridge.

Ironic indeed. And new information to me. Thank you. That will be quite a few $ per bus! Route 14, the logical candidate, runs about every 30 minutes.

 

[SaugeenJunction]

Extremely annoying to learn how this is being funded. Despite this, the project fills a gap in the roads network that is needed. I generally dislike road expansion but I’d put this in the “improving links” category.

Here is a good video with renderings of the project:

 

[innsertnamehere]

Yea, I remember thinking similarly when I first learned of its funding arrangement a few years ago. It speaks more to the failure of the program from Metrolinx than Halton region to me. Halton wasn’t the only municipality which played games with the money or took far too long to spend “quick” funding.

That said, I agree that this is a great project in terms of connectivity and transportation. It’ll take a small amount of pressure off the QEW, create another protected cyclist crossing of Bronte Creek, and just generally make getting around this part of Halton a lot easier for all road users.

 

[just east of the creek]

Yea, I remember thinking similarly when I first learned of its funding arrangement a few years ago. It speaks more to the failure of the program from Metrolinx than Halton region to me. Halton wasn’t the only municipality which played games with the money or took far too long to spend “quick” funding.

That said, I agree that this is a great project in terms of connectivity and transportation. It’ll take a small amount of pressure off the QEW, create another protected cyclist crossing of Bronte Creek, and just generally make getting around this part of Halton a lot easier for all road users.

People are going to exit at Bronte and use the Wyecroft road race track westwards to Maple and then jump on the QEW Niagara Bound or head further west on Plains to jump back on the 403. And this will happen frequently, seven days a week. But perhaps New Street will be less of a race track by comparison. Although I was told the city was eyeing speed cameras and that might help.

 

[wopchop]

It's a good project - long overdue.

Unrelated, but in this general area. Would be nice to see Bronte Park connected to all the Bronte River lands south of the QEW, with restored natural habitat and a trail connections under the QEW to Rebecca Street. There is a road under the QEW bridge here, that already provides access to the east side of Bronte Provincial Park.

 

[Northern Light]

It's a good project - long overdue.

Unrelated, but in this general area. Would be nice to see Bronte Park connected to all the Bronte River lands south of the QEW, with restored natural habitat and a trail connections under the QEW to Rebecca Street. There is a road under the QEW bridge here, that already provides access to the east side of Bronte Provincial Park.

100% this.

They should also extend the park to the north before its all developed.

 

[just east of the creek]

Many people feel this way - extensions all the way to Lakeshore and extensions north word through the existing park. How feasible this is without outside push is a question. Several years ago park staff talked about having to 'compete' for dollars to acquire land the park had options on (which I believe fell through), and for other projects. The government has neglected the park for years, resulting in a loss of all sorts of programming and facilities, and that proceeded the present government. It does not really appear to have changed much. But there are opportunities here extend valuable parkland through an urbanizing area and compliment what is happening with the Rouge Valley to the east.

 

[Northern Light]

Many people feel this way - extensions all the way to Lakeshore and extensions north word through the existing park. How feasible this is without outside push is a question. Several years ago park staff talked about having to 'compete' for dollars to acquire land the park had options on (which I believe fell through), and for other projects. The government has neglected the park for years, resulting in a loss of all sorts of programming and facilities, and that proceeded the present government. It does not really appear to have changed much. But there are opportunities here extend valuable parkland through an urbanizing area and compliment what is happening with the Rouge Valley to the east.

Again, exactly right. I'd love to see the park follow the creek to the Lake. This would be awesome (outline in white)

~68km2 (about 2/3 the size of Rouge Park, but directly abutting Crawford Lake and Rattlesnake Point Conservation Areas. )

Now if you enveloped all the existing Conservation Area Lands all the way to the 401:

That would be just a bit bigger than Rouge Park, and if it established a wildlife corridor to the Escarpment lands on the north side of the 401.....

'Scuse me, I think I just spent a few billion on land acquisition.

 

[just east of the creek]

NL. You are spot on!

There is a lot of very, very good agricultural land within this area which could be protected (more then it is now in the official plans) as an agricultural reserve, with the aim of protecting ag lands for ag, and not for some imported money to create Mega Mansion Parks. Which drives me bonkers and makes me wish I was into raising pork (for their natural cleansing odors!!)

Or more golf courses (And i am not anti-golf, but enough is enough)

Plus the existing conservation areas .

Plus the escarpment areas and the Bruce Trail.

And I understand that the province is flush with cash these days, not interested in handing any of it over to the Cities, so here is a project that will begin to provide dividends to the public now and for generations, Talk about Doug Ford Legacy building!

Great work.

 

[Dan416]

On a brand new structure like this it's sad to see on-road bike lanes rather than separated lanes or multi-use trail. I would never cycle here, but if I did I'd want physically separated bike lanes from cars and trucks. And you just know there'll be trucks on this new road.

 

[wopchop]

On a brand new structure like this it's sad to see on-road bike lanes rather than separated lanes or multi-use trail. I would never cycle here, but if I did I'd want physically separated bike lanes from cars and trucks. And you just know there'll be trucks on this new road.

Oakville likes to brag about it's "bike lanes", but sadly 95%+ of those are just painted lines.

 

[Northern Light]

On a brand new structure like this it's sad to see on-road bike lanes rather than separated lanes or multi-use trail. I would never cycle here, but if I did I'd want physically separated bike lanes from cars and trucks. And you just know there'll be trucks on this new road.

I have not looked at the working drawings for this, so I just don't know........but there is a good chance, given that this is Halton, that the lane widths for the vehicle lanes are a bit bloated, there may be room for physical separation w/barriers.

Go nag at the project leads ASAP and push them to look at physical separation.

Assuming there is room, the weight of a 1/2 jersey barrier is inconsequential on the structure, and changing the width at which the lanes will be painted is as low-cost a change order as you can get.

Toronto's barrier design is actually quite popular w/other cities because it allows for drainage as well, so they don't need to move any bridge drains to make it work.

 

[innsertnamehere]

On a brand new structure like this it's sad to see on-road bike lanes rather than separated lanes or multi-use trail. I would never cycle here, but if I did I'd want physically separated bike lanes from cars and trucks. And you just know there'll be trucks on this new road.

There are actually both if you look closely. There are multi-use paths on both sides of the street in addition to the cycle lanes. Cycle lanes on facilities like this are intended for "road cyclists" more than they are for a casual sunday ride.

You don't really want curb-separated facilities on higher speed suburban arterials like this anyway - the proper solution is an off-street MUP like proposed.

Halton Region has actually been surprisingly good at ensuring off-street MUPs are included in most of their major arterial road works lately. Most new road projects have them, which can't be said for most of the rest of the GTA.